This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/1/2026
Martin Luther King, Jr. typed letter signed, composed on his personal Ebenezer Baptist Church stationery on 1 May 1961. King accepts an honorary degree from the University of Bridgeport, ''with deep humility and profound gratitude'', promising to be present at the commencement ceremony the following month. The University of Bridgeport was one of the first institutions to confer an honorary degree upon King for his civil rights work. When he spoke at the commencement on 4 June 1961, King urged support for the Civil Rights movement and criticized both the Republican and Democratic parties for not doing enough to further its cause. Two years later, of course, King would deliver his powerful ''I Have a Dream'' speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Letter measures 8.5'' x 10.5''. Folds, else near fine. Signed in blue ballpoint, King's signature remains exceptionally strong.