Don't Let Him Shoot Me

“Tuskegee Institute, Alabama
                                             July 12, 1962

Reverend Martin Luther King
Atlanta, GA
Dear Friend and brother in Christ:
                 We read of you daily, today you are in Albany, GA. Standing trial, tomorrow I see you are to appear before a swanky Press Club, the first of the race so to do.
                 I confess that you are prayerfully on my mind almost continuously, as I think of you in prayer, asking the good, great spirit to preserve and keep that committed to His care.
                   May I share this with you in same connection:
I was hungry as I traveled home in Tennessee, going north on route 29. I went to a side street restaurant if it might be addressed so highly. A big strapping red man came to the door and stood across it – front door. I stood outside. I said, Mister, do you have a sandwich. He said what kind? I said it matters little, just a sandwich. While he was gone,  I thought, and as he came to the door, I still standing outside, I said to him, even without thinking of my words, as follows:

if you white folks don’t straighten up and fly right, God’s going to rain down fire from heaven and send you all to hell where you belong.” As I took the sandwich and marched back to my car, this prayer was on my lips and from my heart, “God, please do let him shoot me.”
                    I am asking God every day, Please God, don’t let any one shoot you.” Please.

                                               Yours and His ****************”

http://www.thekingcenter.org/archive/document/funny-story-mlk#

Photo ~ Harry Belafonte and Martin Luther King Jr