At Canaan's Edge (168 page)

He was still testy about Jackson: Frady,
Jesse,
pp. 225–26; Abernathy,
Walls,
pp. 430–32; int. William Rutherford, Dec. 7, 2004.

James Lawson emphasized: News script, WMC-TV Channel Five, April 3, 1968, MVC.

His entrance caused an eerie bedlam: Int. James Lawson, Nov. 9, 1983; Beifuss,
River,
p. 277.

“His daddy is a preacher”: Frank,
American Death,
p. 50.

“but he is the one who tells”: “Pitch for Unity Made by King,” MCA, April 4, 1968, p. 11.

“If I were standing at the beginning of time”: MLK address, “I Have Been to the Mountain Top,” April 3, 1968, A/KS; Washington, ed.,
Testament,
pp. 279–86; Frank,
American Death,
pp. 50–54; Beifuss,
River,
pp. 276–81; Fairclough,
Redeem,
pp. 380–81; Abernathy,
Walls,
p. 433; Young,
Burden,
p. 463; Kotz,
Judgment,
pp. 412–14;
Citizen King,
a Roja Production for
The American Experience,
PBS, 2004.

biblical story of Moses: Deuteronomy 32:48–52, 34:1–6.

a long night on the town: U.S. Department of Justice, Report of the Department of Justice Task Force to Review the FBI Martin Luther King, Jr. Security and Assassination Investigations, pp. 21–22; Abernathy,
Walls,
pp. 434–36; confidential interviews.

King followed Davis to her Room 201: U.S. Department of Justice, Report of the Department of Justice Task Force to Review the FBI Martin Luther King, Jr. Security and Assassination Investigations, pp. 21–22; Powers,
I Shared,
pp. 217–28.

neither the city nor King would be safe: Beifuss,
River,
pp. 272, 284–85.

“The white citizens of Memphis”: Testimony of Frank C. Holloman in
City of Memphis v. Martin Luther King, Jr. et al.,
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Case No. C-68-80, April 4, 1968, p. 58, transcript courtesy of Charles F. Newman.

“I would rather local people”: Remarks of the court and testimony of Chief J. C. MacDonald, in ibid., pp. 81–84, 94–95.

“drop your bags right here”: Frank,
American Death,
p. 72.

“I don't negotiate with brothers”: Int. Bernard Lafayette, Aug. 10, 2005.

Invaders stormed off: Ibid.; Fairclough,
Redeem,
p. 381; Garrow,
Bearing,
p. 622; Stokes,
Report,
p. 364; Garrow,
FBI and King,
p. 200; Frank,
American Death,
p. 56; Beifuss,
River,
p. 289; Hearings, House Select Committee on Assassinations, Vol. 6, p. 416.

fried Mississippi River catfish: Abernathy,
Walls,
pp. 436–37; Frank,
American Death,
pp. 56–57; Walter (Bill) Bailey oral history, July 10, 1968, MVC.

“In the next campaign”: Int. Bernard Lafayette, March 22, 2005.

“Are you telling the Court”: Testimony of James Lawson in
City of Memphis v. Martin Luther King, Jr. et al.,
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Case No. C-68-80, April 4, 1968, pp. 146, 166, transcript courtesy of Charles F. Newman.

went downstairs to meet his brother: U.S. Department of Justice, Report of the Department of Justice Task Force to Review the FBI Martin Luther King, Jr. Security and Assassination Investigations, p. 22;
I Shared,
pp. 228–29; Garrow,
Bearing,
p. 622.

“She's always happy”: Frank,
American Death,
p. 57.

“Call her”: Abernathy,
Walls,
p. 438; Hearings, House Select Committee on Assassinations, Vol. 1, p. 19; Raines,
My Soul,
p. 522; Stein,
Journey,
p. 254; U.S. House of Representatives, Report of the Select Committee on Assassinations, p. 365.

spoiled her husband's trick: Samuel B. (Billy) Kyles oral history, June 12, 1968, p. 8, MVC.

“They were really laying”: Gwen (Mrs. S. B.) Kyles oral history, May 28, 1968, pp. 12–16, MVC.

Andrew Young withstood: Testimony of Andrew Young in
City of Memphis v. Martin Luther King, Jr. et al.,
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Case No. C-68-80, April 4, 1968, pp. 168–207, transcript courtesy of Charles F. Newman.

“I think history shows”: Ibid., p. 205.

“I think of Mr. Wilkins”: Ibid., p. 192.

removal of Detective Redditt: U.S. Department of Justice, Report of the Department of Justice Task Force to Review the FBI Martin Luther King, Jr. Security and Assassination Investigations, pp. 30–32; Stokes,
Report,
pp. 549–55; McKnight,
Crusade,
pp. 77–78; Frank,
American Death,
pp. 64–65; Melanson,
Murkin,
pp. 68–71.

escaped convict bought a pair of Bushnell binoculars: Stokes,
Report
, pp. 378–87; Frank,
American Death,
pp. 58–64; Posner,
Killing the Dream,
pp. 22–28, 324–31; Huie,
He Slew,
pp. 112–13; McMillan,
Making,
pp. 290–93, 297–302.

free-for-all pillow fight: Young,
Burden,
pp. 463–64; Blackside, Inc.,
Eyes on the Prize II—America at the Racial Crossroads, 1965 to 1985,
Vol. IV, “The Promised Land (1967–68)”;
Citizen King,
a Roja Production for
The American Experience,
PBS, 2004; Garrow,
Bearing,
pp. 622–23; Posner,
Killing the Dream,
pp. 23–24; Kotz,
Judgment,
p. 414.

“death and destruction”: News script, WMC-TV Channel Five, April 4, 1968, MVC.

Officer Richmond noted: Frank,
American Death,
pp. 58, 65.

long-scheduled spring revival: Hearings, House Select Committee on Assassinations, Vol. 1, pp. 19–20; Raines,
Soul,
p. 523; Stokes,
Report
, p. 365; Abernathy,
Walls,
pp. 438–39.

Hosea Williams loudly evicted: Hearings, House Select Committee on Assassinations, Vol. 6, pp. 466–67, 520–21; Pepper,
Act of State,
pp. 193–94.

Jesse Jackson rehearsed: Beifuss,
River,
pp. 289–90.

King chimed in to needle Kyles: Samuel B. (Billy) Kyles oral history, June 12, 1968, pp. 8–15, MVC; Stokes,
Report
, p. 366; Frank,
American Death,
pp. 67–70; Baldwin,
Balm,
p. 306; Posner,
Killing the Dream,
pp. 29–30.

Marrell McCullough parked: U.S. Department of Justice, Report of the Department of Justice Task Force to Review the FBI Martin Luther King, Jr. Security and Assassination Investigations, p. 25; Hearings, House Select Committee on Assassinations, Vol. 6, pp. 418–19; McKnight,
Crusade,
p. 71.

tussling with Bevel: Stokes,
Report
, p. 366; Young,
Burden,
p. 464.

“Jesse, I want you to come”: Frady,
Jesse,
pp. 226–27.

Time on the balcony: Stokes,
Report
, p. 367; Beifuss,
River,
pp. 292–93; Frank,
American Death,
pp. 73–75; Raines,
Soul,
pp. 522–23; Abernathy,
Walls,
pp. 440–41; Posner,
Killing the Dream,
pp. 30–32.

EPILOGUE

PAGE

McCullough first reached the victim: Stokes,
Report
, pp. 368–69; Posner,
Killing,
p. 31.

knot from King's necktie: Beifuss,
River,
pp. 292–93.

“Somebody done hit”: Walter “Bill” Bailey oral history, July 10, 1968, MVC.

“They got my brother”: Beifuss,
River,
pp. 305–6.

Memphis Search for Meaning Committee: Ibid., pp. 352–53.

segment filmed outside the emergency room at St. Joseph's: “Film Cabinet—News Film, On-the-Air & Outtakes,” April 4, 1968, Video 44–45, Container 52, MVC.

Riots erupted in 110 American cities: NYT, April 10, 1968, p. 37.

Congress passed the nondiscrimination bill: NYT, April 11, 1968, p. 1.

what amounted to a state funeral in Atlanta: Pomerantz,
Peachtree,
pp. 358–63.

settled the Memphis strike: Beifuss,
River,
pp. 348–49; Goulden,
Jerry Wurf,
pp. 178–81.

King died intestate: Estate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., File No. 81048, Probate Court of Fulton County, Georgia.

$12,351.36 from the eccentric poet and essayist Dorothy Parker: Amended Affidavit of Assets filed July 2, 1979, by Coretta Scott King, in ibid.; NYT, June 27, 1967, p. 22; Levison to Dora McDonald, June 27, 1967, A/KP15f10; “Dorothy Parker: Wit's End/Poet's Ashes, Ideals Honored in Baltimore,” WP, Oct. 21, 1988, p. D-1.

new sheriff, John Hulett: Eagles,
Outside Agitator,
p. 256; int. Judge John Hulett, Jr., Sept. 28, 2005.

slowly entered the dedication ceremony: Dallek,
Flawed,
pp. 620–23.

“whom I don't know so well”: Pamphlet, “Equal Opportunity in the United States: A Symposium on Civil Rights,” 1972, p. 162, LBJ.

sought out an awed Bond: Int. Julian Bond, Jan. 10, 2004; LBJ to Bond, Dec. 13, 1972, courtesy of Julian Bond.

“Christmas bombing”: Karnow,
Vietnam,
pp. 667–69; Appy,
Patriots,
pp. 395–96; Langguth,
Our Vietnam,
pp. 614–24.

Pauli Murray knelt trembling: Murray,
Song,
pp. 430–31.

“God here and now as father”: NYT, July 30, 1974, pp. 1, 17.

upheaval over the sanctity of male-only clergy: Cf. “History-Making 65th Convention Ends,” Sept. 23, 1976, Episcopal News Service record 76299, AEC; “Union Council Rejects Convention Decision,” Nov. 10, 1976, Episcopal News Service record 76341, AEC.

female priests ordained by official sanction: “Episcopal Priests Ordained,” WP, Jan. 9, 1977, p. 3; Murray,
Song,
pp. 434–35.

Within days, they had traced the mark: Stokes,
Report,
pp. 584–87; Posner,
Killing,
pp. 37–41; FBI LHM dated April 6, 1968, “Murder of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Box 32, OFMS, LBJ.

Stokely Carmichael or Rap Brown ordered King killed: Unsigned memo dated April 12, 1968, with attached FBI LHM, “Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” April 10, 1968, Box 32, OFMS, LBJ.

FBI officials planted a malicious story: Jack Anderson, “FBI Used King File in Killer Hunt,” WP, Aug. 15, 1970; int. Jack Anderson, Oct. 7, 1983; FBI memorandum, “Martin Luther King, Jr.,” April 9, 1968, FK-3415.

“their plaster saint”: Wiretap transcript of telephone conversation between Stanley Levison and Tom Offenburger, 12:43
A.M.
, April 19, 1968, FLNY-9-1645.

“there is no way a ten-cent white boy”: Bernard Lee oral history by Walter Burrell, June 23, 1968, RJB.

eerie wedding ceremony: Posner,
Killing,
p. 261.

Dennis Sweeney: Chafe,
Never,
pp. 453–60; King,
Freedom Song,
pp. 510–18.

sentenced to life for the baffling murder: “Ex-Black Panther Is Sought in Death of Sheriff's Deputy,” NYT, March 18, 2000, p. 7; “Al-Amin Calls Slaying Case a ‘Government Conspiracy,'” WP, March 22, 2000, p. 3; “Georgia Upholds Former Militant's Conviction,” NYT, May 25, 2004, p. 16.

Dexter King publicly proclaimed James Earl Ray innocent: NYT, March 28, 1997, p. 22.

Reagan announced his belief: NYT, Oct. 20, 1983, p. 1; partial transcript of Reagan press conference, WP, Oct. 20, 1983, p. 8; Cannon,
President Reagan,
pp. 523–24; “Uneasy Holiday,”
New Republic,
Feb. 3, 1986, pp. 22–27.