KTLA News: "Martin Luther King, Sr. press conference in Los Angeles" (1963)

I have a feeling that it's going to be passed or watered down some as always, but whatever happens I feel and I know I'm sure, you see it has been for a long time said that a few negroes wanted this but I think Washington the march on Washington spelled out really whether or not the negroes want this thing. Of all levels, the high, the low, the rich, the poor, the learned or unlearned, they were there. To say that we want freedom and we want it now. ... that's the purpose of your visit here Move a little closer to the microphone if you will. My name is Martin Luther King Senior of Atlanta, Georgia, co-pastor in Ebenezer Baptist Church with my son Dr. Martin Luther King Junior. My visit in the city of Los Angeles at this time is to be with our good friend Dr. Peters at the Victory Baptist Church on Sunday and [...] services in the afternoon. we've had no individual or pastor that's been more dedicated than, who have what... any closer with us in our struggle than Dr. Peters here in your city. So it's a joy for me to visit with him and his fine people at this time and to visit your fine city again. It's a joy to be here. Any rallies planned during your stay? No rallies I'm just here to Victory Baptist Church on Sunday throughout the day. Reverend King can you shed some light on the reason that your son has been in a local hotel room [...] Simply to say my son is far overworked. He has been so used to it in the last, well, six months, more so than any other time at all, and we have urged upon him to see if he could get some rest somewhere. He's had no vacation he's tried to take a vacation twice this year and hasn't been able to do it yet. He's right now with a book overdue that he tried to get meet the deadline with the printers -- that he hadn't been able to do because of other pressing responsibilities. I would imagine he is trying to continue to write on this book but I know he's desperately tired. Can you tell if it has anything to do with a rumor that he is reluctant to make any statement which might be taken as inflammatory because of [...] no no I wouldn't think that I wouldn't think that at all now frankly let me say to you that although we are co-pastors in the same church but sometimes I don't get to talk with him in 4 to 5 weeks or any time at all just two minutes and on to the pulpit and then out he's gone again so that I can't always know every move he is making well I didn't know he was in Los Angeles until the day before yesterday so this is the situation now I know he is to be back in Atlanta in the pulpit Sunday with the guest Minister who lives with us but now just how long he's in Atlanta I don't know in fact I do not expect you would know more about that than I would so that I'm sure as I've said I repeat that being the father could be is simply because gets overworked not that I know of no he gets overworked he gets tired let us see what is the racial situation in Atlanta --- well now this is the most difficult thing all I get from Los Angles is what I read you know and you don't always get it correctly you know from the news media but I think Los Angeles and they're much like all others it's all over now everywhere that's just as simple as this and the negro is simply going to be free now he's going to be a first-class citizen and he's not gonna take anything for less than that and deals and all that means nothing that's that's all over so that's everywhere now just you see you see the truth of it is we have known in the south where we were you that live in these parts thought you knew where you were and these folks have been so hypocritical --- know where the lines are there and now they began to open up here and you find that there are many situations here that must be cleared and there will be no question about that Reverend King would you say then that the fact is you and your son are both in Los Angeles at the same time as merely a matter of coincidence? purely a coincidence and if nothing is planned to step up any racial activities or racial desegregation activities here? I'm here to be with this Minister now I've said that my son did not know that I was going to be in Los Angeles until I relayed it to him and asked him I wouldn't have been here if my son could not have been in the pulpit in the manner I could not have been here our situation is so one of us must always be in the pulpit in Atlanta although we have a guest Minister Sunday but one of the preachers must be there because it takes a great deal of maneuvering the courage it takes with two pastors in the South would take --- so no he doesn't know anything about that I would like to comment and that I've read it and had some knowledge of it I have not read that you said came out this morning? feeling of discrimination and unhappiness he feels the difference real depth of the feeling of discrimination well I would think so I would I would think so yeah because we never knew it was as deep as it is in the northern and eastern areas as you will find the fact I didn't for instance I've always felt on a visit to New York City and New York State on a park that well you folks got it made you see only define all the other differences I thought the same thing in this city when I visited here several times well I just thought it was a place I ought to be but from a distance well I happened to live with his mother you know and what happened to her concerned me first I must be very much concerned about her and you can be assured at that time this they're terrific so I must take my own worries and then be sure that I'm protecting her and hers so yes at times we are very much concerned and well we live under tension all the time if terrific where we fail doesn't matter Paddy's left you you cannot live in I I do not I do not I have not been in the Birmingham situation at all naturally I am concerned I have a son pastor there with five grandchildren there we must always be deeply concerned about what happened but not just what is plans and the plans of the Birmingham people --- and others at the moment I think we're moving forward well I would have to check again your population and before I would make this statement the --- I have to look at your population and what had you before I would say it seems to be dispelled progress I have to be seen tomorrow when I look at it I might find something else what would you say would be the worst evil from your standpoint of segregation in Los Angeles where is Los Angeles the most relaxed or the most backward in a segregation problem? in Los Angeles? yes I would like to comment on that because I haven't kept up close enough with all the activities and what has happened in fact I haven't been in Los Angeles in --- I mean a reverend here I've been in Oakland and San Francisco but Los Angeles it's been about a year maybe since I've been here so all I gather is what I listen to somebody talking leave to use losing trying to be very unkind to get something that I don't do not know in fact I want to continue until we are you we have to worry all you mean what would have active position if just want to be immediate attempt to find whatever I don't know how much pleasure it would be I I don't have the feeling now that' these situations would a place but they made slower flow to the fish and the driver seemed harder and most testified is all the best but I don't think any of this is going to discourage the negro in such a way that he's going sit down and say well we can't do it anymore now we we lost our fight I don't think that if I'm understanding your question yeah thank you