KING, Martin Luther Jr.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. First edition, presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper: "To Hulan Jack, In appreciation for your outstanding contribution in the area of human rights. Martin L. King Jr.". Stride Toward Freedom was King's first book, his memoir of the Montgomery bus boycott. Hulan Jack (1906-1986) represented Harlem in the New York State Assembly from 1941 to 1953 and served as Manhattan borough president from 1954 to 1961. His obituary observed that this was "the highest administrative political office then held by a black in the United States. As a politician, he came to symbolize for many blacks an important milestone in a long struggle for political and social equality... Over the years, Mr. Jack established a record as the untiring author of legislation for human rights and against racial discrimination of any type. Though his bills usually fell by the wayside, he remained convinced that he was not wrong but merely ahead of his time" (New York Times, 22 December 1986).King stayed in New York for several days to publicize the book following its publication on 17 September 1958. On 19 September, he shared a platform with Jack at a rally at Harlem's Hotel Theresa. Jack warned King that he had heard threatening remarks from the crowd, but was told by King not to get a bodyguard. The following day, King was stabbed while signing copies of the book by someone who had been in the crowd (Nakayama, pp. 13-14).

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