Read Parting the Waters Online
Authors: Taylor Branch
solved by arranging: Int. Louis Martin, Oct. 14, 1983.
opened in Harlem: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, pp. 63-64.
“Careful, Jack”: Ibid. Also Sorensen,
Kennedy
, p. 183.
announcement of Powell's divorce: NYAN, Oct. 22, 1960, p. 1.
delaying the release: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 27.
five bags of chicken feed: Evers,
For Us
, pp. 220ff.
address on the philosophy: Carson,
In Struggle
, p. 27. Also King log, A/SC29.
The Rustin controversy: Carson,
In Struggle
, p. 29; Forman,
The Making
, p. 219; int. Robert P. Moses and Bayard Rustin.
“If history offers”: Carson,
In Struggle
, p. 28.
cache of two-way radios: Raines,
My Soul
, p. 89.
own brother A.D.: Int. Bernard Lee, Oct. 25, 1984.
along with Lonnie: Raines,
My Soul
, p. 91.
So did Bernard: Int. Bernard Lee, Oct. 25, 1984.
he warned them: Ibid.
on the verge of tears: Int. Glenn Smiley, Nov. 14, 1983. Also int. Bernard Lee, Oct. 25, 1984. (Lee says he was one of the students at the airport.)
“racism at its worst”: ADW, Oct. 18, 1960, p. 1. Also WP, Oct. 19, 1960, and NYT, Oct. 21, 1960, p. 14, among many such stories.
zone of negotiation: Int. Harris Wofford, June 26, 1984, and April 5, 1985, and Louis Martin, Oct. 25, 1983.
Opinion polls showed: WP, Oct. 28, 1960, p. 2.
“High Hopes”: Sorensen,
Kennedy
, p. 151.
Levison joined Belafonte: Int. Harry Belafonte, March 6-7, 1985.
“stressed with Sammy”: Levison to King, Oct. 13, 1960, BUK1f10.
Daddy King burst: Int. Bernard Lee, Oct. 25, 1984.
calls from Harris Wofford: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, pp. 12-13. Also int. Wofford, June 26, 1984, and April 5, 1985.
“obliged to issue”: Int. Harris Wofford, June 26, 1984, and April 5, 1985.
“The hell with that”: Ibid.
Daddy King joined: ADW, Jan. 19, 1960, p. 1. Also C. A. Scott, A/OH.
“retreating under fire”: WP, Oct. 19, 1960, p. 1.
“meet you on the bridge”: Raines,
My Soul
, p. 93.
Nine
A PAWN OF HISTORY
“I cannot accept”: ADW, Oct. 20, 1960, p. 1.
gave way to euphoria: Int. Bernard Lee, Oct. 25, 1984.
many as two thousand: PC, Oct. 29, 1960, p. 2. WP, Oct. 21, 1960, p. 14, put the number at only two hundred.
“practice what I preached”: PC, Oct. 29, 1960, p. 2.
“most dangerously irresponsible”: WP, Oct. 22, 1960, p. 8.
Wofford heard radio: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 13.
attorney named Morris Abram: Ibid. Also Abram,
Day
, pp. 125ff; Stein,
Journey
, pp. 90ff; William B. Hartsfield, JFKOH. In the story of political interventions in King's October arrest cases, there are slight conflicts between the versions of Wofford, Hartsfield, and Abram, which I have resolved insofar as possible through common sense, after interviews with Louis Martin, Bernard Lee, Wofford, and Sargent Shriver.
influential Negro leaders: King Sr.,
Daddy
, p. 173. Also ADW, Oct. 23, 1960, p. 4.
Rich had broken down: Raines,
My Soul
, p. 93.
“Why should he be ashamed”: Int. Harris Wofford, Aug. 28, 1984, and William B. Hartsfield, JFKOH, p. 4.
“I ran with the ball”: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 14.
“The Senator is hopeful”: Ibid., p. 15.
“shortest route to heaven”: ADW, Oct. 23, 1960, p. 4.
“make love a reality”: NYT, Oct. 24, 1960, pp. 1, 12.
preached six different sermons: PC, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 2.
hold King in jail: C. King,
My Life
, p. 200; Lewis,
King
, p. 126; NYT, Oct. 25, 1960, p. 31.
cellmates mutinied: Int. Bernard Lee, Oct. 25, 1984.
“intention or desire”: ADW, Oct. 25, 1960, p. 3.
fuzzy statements: Ibid.
“M.L. will be”: Int. Bernard Lee, Oct. 25, 1984.
white theology students: NYT, Oct. 26, 1960, p. 43.
into cold fear: Int. Bernard Lee, Oct. 25, 1984.
As for King: Ibid.
Judge Mitchell's hearing: Account taken from NYT, Oct. 26, 1960, p. 1; Oates,
Trumpet
, pp. 163-64; C. King,
My Life
, pp. 200-1; NYAN, Oct. 29, 1960, p. 1.
Walker spread: Int. Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker, Aug. 20, 1984.
Belafonte called: Int. Harry Belafonte, March 6-7, 1985.
Wofford responded: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 16; Schlesinger Jr.,
Robert Kennedy
, p. 233.
“What we want”: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, pp. 16-17.
Bowles readily agreed: Ibid.
presence of Negroes: Ibid. Also int. Harris Wofford, June 26, 1984.
“King! Get up!”: PC, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 2.
Hollowell called: Ibid.
nearly hysterical: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 17.
safer at Reidsville: Ibid., p. 18.
call found Shriver: Ibid. Also int. Harris Wofford, June 26, 1984, and Sargent Shriver, Nov. 30, 1983.
“some good numbers”: Int. Sargent Shriver, Nov. 30, 1983.
“What the hell”: Ibid.
appointment with Morris Abram: C. King,
My Life
, p. 202; King Sr.,
Daddy
, p. 175.
“just wanted you to know”: C. King,
My Life
, p. 203;
Jet
, Nov. 10, 1960, p. 4.
in solitary confinement: PC, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 2.
“Hello Darling”: King to Coretta King, “Wednesday afternoon” (Oct. 26, 1960), A/KP7f24.
Kennedy mentioned casually: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 19.
lawyer who had pried: Sorensen,
Kennedy
, pp. 203-4.
“threat to survival”: NYT, Oct. 26, 1960, p. 1.
game ended abruptly: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 19.
tongue-lashed and belittled: Int. Sargent Shriver, Nov. 30, 1983.
“one to tell Bobby”: Int. Harris Wofford and Louis Martin.
“heard that Jackie Robinson”: Louis Martin, CRDPOH, pp. 9-10. Also int. Martin, Oct. 14, 1983. Martin is the source for the dialogue of his meeting with Robert Kennedy.
nothing else controversial: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 20.
draw fire away: Schlesinger Jr.,
Robert Kennedy
, p. 234.
“She is a friend”: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 20.
never met Coretta: C. King,
My Life
, p. 245.
charter a private plane: Lewis,
King
, p. 128.
at 3:46
P.M.
: PC, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 2.
“look of vulnerability”: Watters,
Down to Now
, p. 53.
Cadillac limousine: PC, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 2; C. King,
My Life
, p. 204.
promised Harris Wofford: Int. Wofford, April 5, 1985; Abram,
Day
, p. 131.
“dump them in his lap”: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 23; NYT, Oct. 29, 1960; NYAN, Nov. 5, 1960, p. 5. Both Daddy King and Coretta King democratized this quotation in their respective books some years later, changing it to read, “If I had a suitcase full of votes, I would⦔ The original wording appears in the contemporary accounts.
“your Nixon buttons”: Oates,
Trumpet
, p. 165.
All he said: PC, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 2.
“that crazy judge”: Stein,
Journey
, p. 93; Schlesinger Jr.,
Robert Kennedy
, p. 234.
“screwing up my brother's”: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 21.
“Can't we just say”: Ibid.
“honorary brother”: Int. Louis Martin. Also Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 22.
featured the call: NYT, Oct. 28, 1960, p. 1.
“These white folks”: PC, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 2.
“sea change”: Int. Sargent Shriver, Nov. 30, 1983.
say nothing of it: Int. Louis Martin, Harris Wofford, and Sargent Shriver.
severe criticism: King Sr.,
Daddy
, p. 175.
“not pay your debt”: Int. Harry Belafonte, March 6-7, 1985.
flying to Chicago:
Jet
, Nov. 10, 1960, p. 4.
“being considered an ingrate”: Statement, Nov. 1, 1960, BUK1f11b, A/KS2.
“firmly re-endorsing”: ADW, Nov. 2, 1960, p. 2.
“blue bomb”: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 24.
“we all have fathers”: Ibid., pp. 27-28. Also Schlesinger,
Thousand Days
, p. 76, and Schlesinger Jr.,
Robert Kennedy
, p. 235.
bizarre trial: MA, Nov. 2, 3, and 4, 1960, all p. 1.
“Senegambian”: Ashmore,
Hearts
, p. 21.
Ike defended: MA, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 1.
“enemy advances”: MA, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 1.
“must be greater”: Ibid., p. 339.
two million copies: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 25.
Marshall L. Shepherd: PC, Sept. 24, 1960, p. 3.
“racial elevation”:
Jet
, Nov. 10, 1960, p. 6.
Sargent Shriver and Louis Martin: Int. Shriver, Nov. 30, 1983.
fifteen hundred beauticians: ADW, Nov. 6, 1960, p. 2.
not permitted to vote: NYT, Nov. 3, 1960, p. 30.
Sorensen greeted him: White,
1960
, p. 347; Sorensen,
Kennedy
, p. 212.
tiniest of changes: White,
1960
, p. 350.
“sticking his nose”: Ambrose,
Eisenhower
, p. 604.
“couple of phone calls”: Wofford,
Of Kennedys
, p. 25.
30 percent shift: “Why Nixon Lost the Negro Vote,”
The Crisis
, January 1961.
Morton declared: Ibid., p. 7.
“fundamentally unjust”: NYT, Dec. 14, 1960.
implored Nixon: Morrow,
Black Man
, p. 213; Int. William P. Rogers, June 11, 1984; Raines,
My Soul
, pp. 97ff.
to hide Rogers: “Why Nixon Lost the Negro Vote,”
The Crisis
, January 1961, p. 12.
Nixon implied: In his 1962 book,
Six Crises
. Also NYT, March 27, 1962, p. 52.
not even drafted: Draft statement by Deputy Attorney General Judge Lawrence E. Walsh, Oct. 31, 1960, WHCF, DDE. (King was released on Oct. 27, 1960.)
moved by memo: William B. Hartsfield, JFKOH, p. 6.
“result of economic issues”: Sorensen,
Kennedy
, p. 216.
carried the Negro precincts: ADW, Nov. 10, 1960, p. 1.
Abram and Daddy King warmed to: Abram,
Day
, pp. 124-32; King Sr.,
Daddy
, pp. 175-76.
Wilkins, who promptly: Wilkins,
Standing Fast
, pp. 279-80.
said with a laugh:
Robert Kennedy
, JFKOH, p. 514.
“Sure I'm glad”: Schlesinger Jr.,
Robert Kennedy
, p. 235.
he verified: White,
1960
, pp. 323, 354.
“master stroke”: Ibid., p. 354.
Ten
THE KENNEDY TRANSITION
Winston Churchill: Schlesinger Jr.,
Robert Kennedy
, p. 238.