Why We Can’t Wait.

KING, Jr..

Item Number: 101952

New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1964.

Early printing of Dr. King’s third book, including his reflections on his 1963 Birmingham campaign. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with eight pages of black-and-white photogravures. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Mrs. Montague In appreciation for all you have done to aid in giving our daughter a good education Martin Luther King Jr.” The recipient, Jane Montague was a teacher who taught the eldest child of Dr. King, Yolanda. Montague taught Yolanda King, who was Martin Luther King’s eldest child at Spring Street Elementary school in Marietta Georgia, starting in 1965. King noted that of this time Yolanda recalls some wonderful teachers who were welcoming and tried to make them comfortable. The children’s first day of school was covered by local news and multiple photographers followed the events. With a letter of provenance from Jane Montague’s son, Robert Montague. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom clamshell box. An exceptional association.

Published the same year Martin Luther King, Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize, Why We Can’t Wait was his response to the assassination of President Kennedy as well as his attempt to “place the events of 1963 in historical perspective, relating the Negro’s own long search for freedom since the Emancipation Proclamation” (Oates, Let the Trumpet Sound). Includes King’s famous Letter from Birmingham Jail, published here in full for the first time. Named by Modern Library as one of the 100 best non-fiction works of the twentieth century and on TIME Magazine's list of the 100 best non-fiction books from 1923-2005.