"WE STILL SUFFER THE PLAGUE OF RACIAL CONFLICT": MLK IN DETROIT, 1958

KING Jr., Martin Luther. Christ, the Church, and Race. Detroit: Dept. of Christian Social Relations, Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, (1958). Slim octavo, original self-wrappers. $4800.

First printing of this scarce Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. item, his keynote address at a Detroit conference about the role of the Church in confronting racism.

On May 16, 1958, Dr. King spoke before an audience of about 260 priests and laymen at a conference on "Christ, the Church, and Race" organized by the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, delivering a passionate speech on the moral obligation of the Church—and of every Christian—to work courageously towards an equal, integrated society. "Because his great gifts of leadership and deep insight into human relations were so clearly revealed in his keynote address, the Department of Christian Social Relations has undertaken to publish it with the hope that it may receive the prayerful study and attention it rightly deserves," as noted in the introduction by the Rev. Joseph A. Pelham, who himself had a distinguished career dedicated to education and to racial and economic justice. The outline of the text is similar to that of King's 1957 speech "The Role of the Church in Facing the Nation's Chief Moral Dilemma," with notable differences in the discussion of education and of the need for "genuine, positive, ethical liberalism of people of goodwill all over the nation," as well as in the closing statement, which is captioned "The Center of Our Faith" and makes dramatic use of a quote not found in the 1957 address. This first printing is uncommon: OCLC reports only two copies.

A near-fine copy with traces of edge wear and very minor rusting to staples.