- Collection:
- Andrew Young Oral History Collection
- Title:
- 1981-05-08, Andrew Young Interviewee: King Stories:
- Contributor to Resource:
- Young, Andrew, 1932-
Dent, Thomas C. - Publisher:
- New Orleans, La. : Tulane University Digital Library
New Orleans, La. : Amistad Research Center - Date of Original:
- 1981-05-08
- Subject:
- Civil rights
- People:
- Young, Andrew, 1932-
- Location:
- United States, 39.76, -98.5
- Medium:
- sound recordings
- Type:
- Sound
- Format:
- audio/mpeg
- Description:
- Topics include: Martin Luther King after Harlem stabbing and the Mountaintop Phase, impressions of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), leadership theories, comparison with Ralph (Abernathy), and his (Andrew Young's) perception at end.
00:00 – Tom Dent interviews Andrew Young, who reflects on notable figures of the Civil Rights Movement. King spoke about preachers from New York gathering around him as he prepared for surgery with a letter opener stuck in him [after an assassination attempt]. He knew he was not dead, but knew they thought he was dead. He had decided that some things were worth risking your life for. 03:00 – King paralleled his situation to Moses, regarding the “mountaintop” and “promised land” imagery. He began this imagery shortly after receiving the Nobel Prize. Medgar Evers and Ruby Hurley stand out as notable people. Amzie Moore of the NAACP. 05:50 – Young suggests not doing a full profile on James Bevel, but talking about him in context. Bevel developed a pioneering urban movement, “the Movement to End Slums.” He never expressed difficulty with King. He spent little time with King and resented it. King did not relax around the staff. 09:30 – King’s close friends who were not staff were almost all ministers. He was close to Fred Bennett and Ralph [Abernathy?]. Ralph began to tire of his secondary role after the Nobel Prize. King had a high energy level. Ralph had a low energy level. He had a good heart, but little intellectual training. King had a Ph.D. and could relate and ask questions. Ralph was over his head and made it as King’s friend. 13:00 – A discussion of leadership as a struggle. Those who rise to the occasion and cope achieve greatness. Contrasts with Julius Nyerere, whose leadership image is suffering. Calvin Murphy talked about having a good record but not being with a winner, so he never received recognition. Oscar Robinson. Michael Manley of Jamaica was a great world leader, but did not rise to the occasion. Young sees Carter as a more able leader than Reagan, but he also did not rise to the crisis of his time. The success orientation is damning. Up to his death, King was able to cope with it and measure up. King was able to do whatever was required of him in any situation. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is an example. 17:57 – King was beginning to see that the “sickness” in America may be deeper than he imagined. He was tired cyclically. Memphis was supposed to be a brief stop. He was supposed to lead the march, but speak in Washington that night. After the riot on Monday, he stayed in Memphis then came back to Atlanta Tuesday morning. He called everyone together on Wednesday. He went back Thursday morning. [Recording ends 21:29. Side 2 is blank.] - Metadata URL:
- https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane:48091
- Language:
- eng
- Additional Rights Information:
- Physical rights are retained by the Amistad Research Center. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.
- Extent:
- 0:21:29
- Contributing Institution:
- Amistad Research Center
- Rights:
-
