Rare, inscribed Martin Luther King, Jr. memoir to sell at Hake's Americana

http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_28220013/rare-inscribed-martin-luther-king-jr-memoir-sell

Early this year, Ted Hake got a phone call for the history books.The caller was Robert Warren, the son of former Chief Justice Earl Warren. In 1954, the chief justice had presided over the Supreme Court ruling — Brown v. Board of Education — which ended segregation in public schools. Hake, who runs Hake's Americana and Collectibles in Springettsbury Township, said Warren told him he was sifting through a box of his grandfather's books when he found a copy of "Stride Toward Freedom" with an inscription to the chief justice from the book's author — Martin Luther King, Jr. Hake's national-level reputation among collectors has helped it to garner many significant items through the years, Hake said, but the chance to auction the rare book was still a surprise."I was astounded," Hake said. "It's one of the most historic items I've had the privilege of handling in 48 years of doing this.

"The book had been in a box headed for the Salvation Army, Hake said. Now, it's being auctioned with a starting bid of $15,000 as part of a collection focusing on the civil rights movement.Steve Klein, communications director for The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, said the book exemplifies King's affinity for Warren, who he considered to be an ally."Earl Warren was kind of a surprise appointment," Klein said. "He became quite progressive on the subject of civil rights and racial justice during his tenure as chief justice of the Supreme Court, and I don't think he was chosen with that in mind." Scott Mussell, a political memorabilia expert who works for Hake's, said that King inscribed a handful of copies of the book, published in 1958, for those who marched with him in Montgomery, Alabama. The only other known inscriptions were for civil rights activist Ralph Abernathy and for Democratic politician Adlai Stevenson II."I'd say inscriptions like this are very uncommon," Mussell said. "A lot of times he'd just initial things or sign something."

 Klein said "Stride Toward Freedom," a memoir about King's role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, marks King's evolution from a pastor to a nationally-known activist. "By the time the boycott was coming to its climax, there were international reporters pouring into Montgomery, Alabama," Klein said. "It became a story of considerable international interest."Mussell said, in terms of artifacts, the book is perhaps the only thing connecting King and Warren, who may have never met one another. Because of that, the book may be of particular interest to either a person or an institution dedicated to documenting the lives of King or Warren. In addition, Mussell said the book — which has an "excellent to near-mint" quality signature — will be of interest to people who collect "investment-grade materials," or items likely to continue appreciating in value.

Regardless of where it ends up, Klein said the signed copy of the book, as well as the text itself, will help future generations to understand the civil rights movement.Klein, whose organization is based in Atlanta, said the book also has an interesting Pennsylvania connection. Klein said one of the book's most enduring chapters, "My Pilgrimage to Nonviolence," describes how, when King was a graduate student at Crozer Theological Seminary in Upland, Pennsylvania, he attended a lecture by Howard University President Mordecai Johnson. The lecture, about Johnson's recent trip to India, introduced King to the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi which would form the basis of his nonviolent protest strategy. "He felt that it melded so perfectly with the teachings of Jesus he'd learned all his life as the son and grandson of a pastor that it was perfect, and he even says in that essay that Ghandi was the first person who really mobilized the teachings of Jesus into a mass movement," Klein said. Mussell said that, although Hake's has always carried political items, this 55-item collection marks the first time Hake's focused on political artifacts from the civil rights movement.

Mussell, who moved from Iowa in 2014 to work for Hake's, said other items in the collection include posters, buttons and pamphlets."I think this is all extremely vital as far as an educational tool," Mussell said. "We thought the book was important, and the other stuff is obviously highly interesting." The auction, which is online, will begin June 23 and will end July 14, Mussell said. He expects the book to sell for between $20,000 and $35,000. Ten percent of the sale price will go to the auction company, with the remainder going to the Warren family.
 

Last edited by Common Sense (5/30/2015 2:48 pm)