Unearthed MLK Archives Reveal Untold Civil Rights Stories
A multi-volume archive project known as “The Papers of Martin Luther King Jr.” is shedding new light on Dr. King’s legacy—and the lesser-known individuals who shaped the Civil Rights Movement alongside him. Spearheaded by Stanford University’s Dr. Clayborne Carson at the request of Coretta Scott King, the collection includes King’s speeches, writings, and personal letters, while elevating figures like Mother Pollard, a quiet hero of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Boxes of dusty documents are now opening new windows into the history of the Civil Rights Movement. “The Papers of Martin Luther King Jr.,” a 14-volume collection, offers a comprehensive look at Dr. King’s speeches, sermons, letters and writings, alongside insight into the many lesser-known figures who shaped the movement alongside him.
“Dr. King has become the focus of the history of the Civil Rights Movement, but so many regular people were involved,” said Meghan Weaver, research assistant at the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.
In 1985, Coretta Scott King, founder and president of The King Center, contacted Stanford historian Dr. Clayborne Carson to edit and publish her late husband’s archives. The collection, initially stored in boxes in the basement of her home, is now being carefully published and studied.
Seven volumes of the series have been released to date. The work highlights King’s enduring relevance beyond his most iconic moments.
“Dr. King is much more than his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech or the Selma to Montgomery march,” Weaver said. “He was a big proponent of practicing nonviolence, especially in demonstrations, something that is applicable today. He also spoke of what he considered the triple evils: militarism, racism, and poverty. His writings are as relevant now as they were in the 1960s.”
Weaver added that the papers reveal surprising details about King’s relentless schedule and the collective nature of the movement. “One thing that strikes me is just how busy he was,” she said. “He would give a speech in Atlanta, fly to New York for a talk, then to Boston for another, and back to New York, all in one day, while still fitting in meetings.”
The collection also elevates figures like “Mother Pollard,” long known for the iconic line from the Montgomery Bus Boycott, “My feets is tired, but my soul is rested.” Her full name, previously unknown, was likely Lou Pollard.
Pollard was born in 1876 to formerly enslaved parents. She later moved to Montgomery, Ala., during the 1930s, where she met Dr. King during the bus boycott. Though struggling with gangrene in her left foot, caused by an old injury, she walked to work daily during the protest.
“Her physical body was in rough shape,” Weaver said, “but her soul was at peace with what she was contributing to the movement.”
Pollard and others like her represent the many community members whose sacrifices are often overlooked in history books. “King could not have become what he was without receiving little bits of wisdom from so many people,” Weaver added.
“The Papers of Martin Luther King Jr.” are available for purchase through retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Some public and university libraries also carry the volumes. To learn more, visit: www.kinginstitute.stanford.edu Facebook: facebook.com/KingInstitute
Instagram: @mlkinginstitute.
Sheletta Brundidge is a children’s author, an Emmy Award winning comedian, and a local activist. She is also a contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. For more information, visit www.shelettamakesmelaugh.com.