Chasing King's Killer: The Hunt for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Assassin Read online

  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

  and car of Ray, 194–195

  and conspiracy rumors, 235

  and fingerprints left by Ray, 191–192, 216, 218, 224

  harassment of King, 59–62

  identification of Ray as assassin, 216, 219, 223, 248

  leadership of (see also Hoover, J. Edgar; Sullivan, William)

  leading hunt for King’s assassin, 184–185, 187

  and passport of Ray, 221

  and size/expense of manhunt, 223

  Ten Most Wanted list of, 219

  and wanted posters for Ray, 214–216, 215

  and warrants for arrest of Ray, 214

  wiretap surveillance of King, 60, 72, 182–184, 248

  Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution, 33

  Francisco, Jerry, 169

  Freedom Riders, 39–40, 40

  Freeman, Mark O., 93

  Funeral services for King

  bulletin for, 204

  and family of King, 197, 199, 200–201, 207

  King’s stated preferences for, 205–206

  mourners at, 198–201, 199, 200–201, 202, 203, 205, 206, 207, 207 208–209

  and national day of mourning declared, 199, 202

  and procession to Morehouse, 207, 207, 208–209

  and public viewing at Spelman College, 198–199, 198–201

  and remembering King, 202–203

  service at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 202–206, 203, 204, 206

  service at Morehouse, 210

  service at South-View Cemetery, 210

  and souvenirs, 210–212, 211, 212, 228

  televised, 203, 205

  and tombstone of King, 210

  See also mourning King’s death

  Galt, Eric S. (false identity of Ray)

  arrest warrant for, 214

  identity assumed by Ray, 92

  and manhunt for King’s killer, 194, 195, 196, 230

  and New Rebel Motel, 194

  and plastic surgeon, 100

  wanted posters for, 215

  Gandhi, Mohandas, 27–28, 38

  Garfield, James, 216, 219

  Goodman, Andrew, 59

  Graham, Billy, 12

  Greensboro, North Carolina, 38

  Hadley, Russell, 100

  Hanley’s Bell Street Funeral Home, 198

  Harlem Hospital, 10–11, 11, 13, 15

  Harriman, Averell, 2

  Hedgeman, Anna Arnold, 4, 6

  Hoover, J. Edgar

  and conspiracy rumors, 235

  death of, 248

  and manhunt for King’s killer, 182–185, 214, 224, 248

  and Robert F. Kennedy, 182–183, 183

  suspicions regarding King, 59–60, 61

  wiretap surveillance of King, 248

  See also Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

  Hotel Theresa in Harlem, 2

  Housing, equal access to, 37

  “I Have a Dream” speech (King), 47, 48–49, 50, 51,

  Indian independence movement, 27–28, 38

  Integration, 65

  Jackson, Clifford, 8

  Jackson, Jesse

  and assassination of King, 164, 189

  and Mason Temple address, 123

  as member of King’s entourage, 120, 121

  Jackson, Jimmie Lee, 65

  Jackson, Mahalia, 50

  Jail sentence of King, 39

  Jensen, Robert, 187

  JET magazine, 210, 248

  “Jim Crow” laws in America, 19–22, 20, 22

  Johnson, Lyndon B.

  and assassination of King, 176, 184

  civil rights work of, 56–57, 58, 176, 248

  critics of, 95, 97

  death of, 248, 252

  and funeral services for King, 202–203, 205

  King’s relationship with, 56–57, 58, 59, 75–76, 203, 248

  and manhunt for King’s killer, 224

  national day of mourning declared by, 199, 202

  as president, 54, 55

  and Vietnam War, 73, 75–76, 95, 97, 114

  withdrawal from presidential race, 114, 115

  Johnson, Mordecai, 27

  Jones, Solomon, 120

  Kennedy, Ethel, 228

  Kennedy, Jacqueline, 202, 203, 227, 228, 253

  Kennedy, John F.

  and “Abraham, Martin and John” (Holler), 239–241, 240

  assassination of, 54, 63, 180, 202, 216, 228

  and capture of Oswald, 219

  civil rights statement of, 45–46

  funeral procession for, 203

  and J. Edgar Hoover, 183

  King’s relationship with, 51, 56

  and King’s release from jail, 39

  legacy of, 246

  and memorabilia, 228, 228

  memorial to, 246

  and threats of violence, 128

  and Vietnam War, 73

  Kennedy, Robert F.

  and “Abraham, Martin and John” (Holler), 239–241, 240

  assassination of, 225–227, 226

  and FBI’s wiretap surveillance of King, 248

  and memorabilia, 228, 228

  and news of King’s death, 179–182, 181

  suspicions regarding King, 56

  and wiretap surveillance of King, 183

  King, A. D. (brother), 24, 120, 207

  King, Alberta (mother), 24, 25, 249

  King, Bernice (daughter), 197, 200, 206, 207

  King, Christine Ferris (sister), 24

  King, Coretta Scott (wife)

  children of, 28, 29, 197, 200–201, 206, 207

  civil rights work of, 252

  and Curry’s attempted murder of King, 15

  and fatalism of King, 54

  and funeral services for King, 197, 201, 207, 207

  and Johnson’s funeral, 252

  and Kennedy assassinations, 228

  King’s final evening with, 117

  and legacy of King, 202

  marriage of, 28

  My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr., 252

  sacrifices of, 28

  King, Dexter (son), 200–201, 206, 207, 251

  King, Martin Luther, III (son), 29, 200–201, 206, 207

  King, Martin Luther, Jr.

  and “Abraham, Martin and John” (Holler), 239–241, 240

  arrests and jail sentences of, 39, 40–41, 42, 43

  autopsy of, 169–170, 188

  birth of, 19

  bombing of home, 33

  and bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, 52, 54

  books of (see also books written by King)

  cash bounties on head of, 238

  children of, 28, 29, 197, 200–201, 206–207

  courage of, 128

  critics of (see also Hoover, J. Edgar, Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael)

  dangers faced by, 13–14, 33, 60, 62, 69–70, 109, 128 (see also assassination attempt by Curry)

  death of, 169, 171 (see also assassination of King)

  and deaths of sanitation workers, 98, 101 (see also sanitation workers’ strike in Memphis, Tennessee)

  and dinner plans with Kyles, 138, 139

  “Dream” speech of, 50, 51,

  and economic justice, 27, 107, 245–246

  education of, 27, 28

  fatalism of, 13–14, 54

  FBI’s surveillance and harassment of, 59–60, 61–62, 72, 182–183, 248

  final public address of, 121–128

  ideals of, 1, 4, 14, 37, 38, 50, 67, 68, 74–77, 108, 124, 125, 127, 245, 246

  and the Invaders, 129–130

  and Johnson, 56–57, 58, 59, 75–76, 203, 248

  and Kennedy, John F., 39, 51, 56

  last sermon of, 114, 115

  leadership of, 14, 34, 36, 50–51, 253

  legacy of, 202, 246, 253

  “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” 42

  at Lorraine Motel, 120, 121

  in Los Angeles, 100

  and March on Washington, 46–51, 47, 48�
�49, 51

  and marches from Selma to Montgomery, 66–68marriage of, 28

  memorial to, 246, 247

  modern message of, 245–246

  “Mountaintop” address of, 121–128, 127, 139, 206

  and Nobel Peace Prize, 59, 60, 62, 109

  and nonviolence, 27, 36–37, 38, 70, 110

  ordination of, 27

  and Poor People’s Campaign, 93–94, 108, 113, 114, 122

  private persona of, 138–139

  King, Martin Luther, Jr. (continued)

  “Promised Land” references of, 126, 127, 199, 255

  religious life of, 23, 27, 28, 70

  rivals of, 63–65, 64, 70, 122

  and self-doubt, 70–72, 110, 122

  and trip to India, 38

  and Vietnam War, 73–77, 74, 81, 97, 114, 122, 176

  youth of, 23–27, 24

  King, Martin Luther, Sr. (father), 23, 24, 25, 26, 249

  King, Yolanda (daughter), 28, 29, 206, 207

  Ku Klux Klan

  bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, 52

  and conspiracy rumors, 235

  and Ray, 237

  terrorism perpetrated by, 21, 22

  Kyles, Billy, 138, 139, 163–164

  Lau, Tomas Reyes, 97–98

  Law enforcement

  assigned to King in Memphis, 120–121, 123, 137

  and description of King’s assassin, 159, 160, 161, 165

  and interviews with witnesses, 162–163

  and marches from Selma to Montgomery, 66–67, 66–68

  and nonviolent protesters, 44, 44, 45

  and prank tip on escaped assassin, 166–168

  racism in, 21, 26, 163

  See also Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Tactical Unit 10

  Laws, changing, 36, 37

  Lawson, James, 100–101, 120

  Lee, Bernard, 119, 120

  Lee, Russie, 10

  “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (King), 42

  Lewis, John, v–vii, 41, 66

  Lincoln, Abraham

  and “Abraham, Martin and John” (Holler), 239–241, 240

  assassination of, 216, 219

  on the judicial circuit, 139

  legacy of, 58, 246

  on slavery, 22

  and threats of violence, 128

  on “unfinished work,” 253

  Lincoln Memorial

  as civil rights landmark, 48–49, 256

  and “Dream” speech, 50, 51, 125, 256

  and March on Washington, 46–51, 47, 48–49, 51

  and memorials for King and Kennedy, 246

  Loenneke, George, 144, 145

  London, England, 213, 219–221, 224, 227, 229–230, 234

  Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee

  blood-stained walkway at, 173, 174, 175

  briefcase in, 173, 173

  as civil rights landmark, 258

  and King’s entourage, 120, 121

  King’s preference for, 120

  media coverage of King’s stay at, 129

  and mourners, 173, 174, 174, 186, 186

  and police response to assassination, 152–153, 157–161

  and Ray’s rooming house, 131–134, 135–137, 138, 142, 143, 143, 147, 152–153

  Ray’s surveillance of, 129–138, 135, 140–142

  sign of, 185

  See also assassination of King

  Los Angeles, California, 68, 92, 94, 100, 178, 214, 225, 226

  Lowmeyer, Harvey (false identity of Ray), 110, 196

  Lynchings, 21

  Manhunt for Ray

  and assassination of R. Kennedy, 225–227, 226

  and attempted bank robbery of Ray, 224

  and capture of Ray, 229–234, 232–233, 234

  and conspiracy rumors, 224

  and evidence collection, 187–188, 224

  and extradition proceedings, 230–234, 232–233, 234

  FBI’s leadership of, 184–185, 187

  and FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list, 219

  and fingerprints left by Ray, 191–192, 216, 218, 224

  identification of Ray as assassin, 216, 223

  and immediate police response, 145, 148, 152–153, 157–161

  and passport application of Ray, 193–194, 213, 221, 224, 236

  and police perimeter around Lorraine, 157–161

  and prank tip, 166–168

  and Ray’s international travel, 213, 219–221, 224–225, 227, 229, 232–233, 234, 236–237

  and Ray’s return to Atlanta, 188, 191

  and Ray’s stopover in Canada, 193–194, 205, 213, 219

  and Scotland Yard, 224, 227, 229, 230

  and search for white Mustang, 191

  size and expense of, 223

  and wanted posters for Ray, 214–216, 215, 217–218

  and warrants for arrest of Ray, 214

  Marches

  in Chicago, 69–70

  and funeral procession, 207, 207, 208–209

  March on Washington, 46–50, 47, 48–49, 51

  and Poor People’s Campaign, 231

  of sanitation workers in Memphis, 107, 108–110, 109, 113, 118–119, 120, 129, 138

  from Selma to Montgomery, 66–67, 66–68

  Mason Temple address of King, 121–128, 127

  McKinley, William, 216, 219

  McNair, Denise, 53

  Memphis, Tennessee (see also Assassination of King)

  deaths of sanitation workers in, 98

  King’s final return to, 116, 118, 119

  Memphis, Tennessee (continued)

  and “Mountaintop” address of King, 121–128, 127, 139

  Ray in, 103, 120, 122

  and Ray’s capture, 232–233, 234

  See also sanitation workers’ strike in Memphis, Tennessee

  Meredith, James, 41

  Michaux, Lewis, 2

  Montgomery, Alabama

  bus boycott in, 1, 31–34, 32, 33

  and civil rights marches, 66–67, 66–68

  and Freedom Riders, 40, 40

  Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA), 31, 33–34

  Morehouse College, 27, 207

  Moses and “Promised Land” references of King, 126, 127, 199, 255

  “Mountaintop” address of King, 121–128, 127, 139, 205–206

  Mourning King’s death

  and entourage of King, 173–174, 174

  at funeral, 198, 199, 200–201, 203, 207, 208–209

  handmade signs expressing, 186, 190

  and Kennedy, R., 179–182, 181

  and Kennedy assassinations, 228

  at Lorraine Motel, 186, 186

  national day of mourning declared, 199, 202

  and social unrest, 176–178, 177, 178, 182

  and souvenirs, 211, 211–212, 212, 228

  My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr. (C. King), 252

  NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), 28, 46

  Names used by Ray

  for car purchase, 92, 194, 195

  for driver’s license, 92

  for gun purchase, 110, 146, 171

  for motel room, 194

  for passport, 193–194

  and police stop in Canada, 213–214

  for rooming house, 131, 171, 195–196

  utilization of, 102

  and wanted posters for Ray, 217

  NASA’s Apollo 8 mission, 241–244, 242–243

  National Civil Rights Museum, 258

  National Dance Studio in Long Beach, 94, 214, 216

  National Guard, 40, 66, 178

  Nation of Islam, 63–65

  New Rebel Motel, Memphis, Tennessee, 122, 126, 194, 236

  Newspaper reporters, 165

  Newton, Huey, 71

  New York City, book-signing tour in, 1–4, 5. See also assassination attempt by Curry (1958)

  New York Times, 120, 124

  Nixon, Richard, 241

  Nobel Peace Prize, 59, 60, 62, 109

  Nonviolent resistance
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  bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, 1, 31–34, 32, 33

  Freedom Riders, 39–40, 40

  frustration with, 63, 65, 70, 171

  and Gandhi, 38

  King’s adherence to, 36–37, 38, 70, 110

  King’s exposure to theory of, 27

  and Malcolm X, 63–65

  and marches from Selma to Montgomery, 66–67, 66–68

  and March on Washington, 46–50, 47, 48–49

  and Nobel Peace Prize, 59

  rejection of, 70–71, 122

  sit-ins, 38, 39, 42, 125, 256

  as tactic of civil rights movement, 36–37, 38, 70

  and Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience,” 27

  violent opposition to, 44, 44, 45

  Woolworth lunch counter protest, 38, 39

  Obama, Barack, 246

  Orange, James, 120

  Ordination of King, 27

  Oswald, Lee Harvey, 219

  Parks, Rosa, 31, 32

  Passport sought by Ray, 193–194, 213, 221, 222, 236

  Pettiford, Walter, 8

  Poor People’s Campaign

  and doubts of King’s advisors, 113, 122

  King’s ambitions for, 93–94, 108

  and March on Washington, DC, 93, 114, 231

  Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom at Lincoln Memorial, 34

  “Promised Land” references of King, 126, 127, 199, 255

  Public opinion, changing, 36

  Racial harmony, King’s ideals of, 4

  Racists and racism

  and cash bounties on King, 238

  and changing attitudes, 37

  and conspiracy rumors, 235

  and “Jim Crow” laws in America, 19–22, 20, 22

  and King’s assassination, 178

  and King’s youth, 25–26

  in law enforcement, 21, 163

  in the North, 21

  and Ray, 237–238

  and “The Talk,” 25

  and violent opposition to civil rights, 44, 44, 45, 45–46

  Ray, James Earl

  attempted bank robbery of, 224

  background of, 84–86

  and bartending school, 97, 98, 99, 214, 216

  capture of, 229–234, 232–233, 234

  criminal history of, 81–84, 85, 87–90, 91, 102, 262–265

  cross-country trip of, 101–102, 103, 107–108

  and dance instruction school, 94, 214, 216

  death of, 251–252

  decision to kill King, 102, 107, 126 (see also assassination of King)

  description of, 159, 161, 165

  disinformation spread by, 251

  and extradition proceedings, 230–234, 232–233, 234

  false names used by (see also names used by Ray)

  and The F.B.I. (television series), 90, 219

  Ray, James Earl (continued)

  identified as assassin, 216, 217, 218, 221, 222, 223, 227

  as loner, 93–94, 237

  maps of movements, 103, 234

  Mustang of (see also car of Ray)

  passport sought by, 193–194, 213, 221, 222, 236

  photos and mug shots of, 78, 85, 91, 99, 160, 214, 215, 216, 217–218, 249–250