June 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in Suffolk, VA at Peanut Park

Article 27, Volume 3                                                                           August 28, 2013

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  addressed an estimated crowd of 7,500 at Peanut Park

Exactly two months before Dr. King's famous speech in Washington, D.C., he revised his schedule so he could speak in Suffolk at a statewide rally of  the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The rally was at Peanut Park on June 28, 1963.  .

It was not an easy task to get Dr. King to speak at events.  He was in demand all over the country as well as other countries.  However, Moses Riddick, head of the Independent Voters League in Suffolk and two other organizations combined there resources and made it possible for Dr. King's visit.

There was excitement through out the region when it was announced that Dr. King was coming to Suffolk.

Juliette Porter, my neighbor in Pleasant Hill, a rising senior in high school in 1963, recently shared how excited she became when she heard the news. Also, Van Harris, who was about 10 years old, told about how her grandmother took her to the park that night and somehow managed to get her a front row standing spot in the crowd.

Ms. Harris said that her grandmother, Ms. Winnie (sorry, don't know her last name) from Saratogo told her that Dr. King was going to be famous and go down in history.  Her grandma prediction was correct.

It was a big thing at that time in history in Suffolk.  Voting rights were restricted so much that it was virtually impossible for most of the Afro-Americans to vote; schools were segregated; blacks were unable to get office jobs; minimum wage pay was about $1 an hour; teachers were making about $3,500 a year and the housing for the poor was terrible. The list goes on and on.

Dr. King's speech that night was inspiring and gave hope of a better future to thousands.

Before the event, the Ledger Star newspaper writer predicted a crowd of 5,000 would be present.  However, after the event another publication estimated that about 7,500 persons were present. The attendance represented, I believe, the largest gathering of Afro-Americans at a single event in Suffolk's history.

1963 was not an ordinary year in the Civil Rights fight. For example the following actions were taken by haters to stop or impede the Civil Rights Movement: 

      *   In May 1963 dogs and fire hoses were used on demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama

      *  On June 6, 1963, Medgar Evers was assassinated in Mississippi 

      *  On September 15, 1963, four girls were killed by a bomb at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church           in Birmingham, Alabama on a Sunday morning. Many others were injured.

Considering Dr. King's visit, I'm reminded of a passage of Scripture where Jesus stated that he must go through Samaria because there was a special need for him there. He went through Samaria and great things occurred.

In comparison, Dr. King had a full schedule, but he decided that he must go through Suffolk because there was a lot of work to be done there.  

Looking back, we are so happy that he came through Suffolk on June 28, 1963, exactly two months before his historic "I had a dream" speech in Washington, D. C.on August 28, 1963.

Were you there?.

In preparing this story, there was one thing that caught my attention about the Ledger Star newspaper article of Dr. King's visit. The article gave in detail a description of virtually all his planned moves, locations, mode of travel and time for arrival. This disclosure was too much. Looking back, this revelation  may have been how the KKK and other hate groups were able to keep track of the where about of civil rights leaders. I mean, think about it.

Information and pictures of Dr. King's visit to Suffolk can be found by google:

 
Dr. Marting Luther King Jr visit to Suffolk in 1963

 
Also, there is another website with information about Dr. King's visit.

                Copyright 2013. Grady E. Bryant, Sr.