This story has become a Martin Luther King Day tradition on “06880.” At this point in our nation’s history, today — more than ever — we should think about the history of our nation before Dr. King was born.
And where we are, nearly 6 decades after his death.
Today is Martin Luther King Day. Westporters will celebrate with a day off from school or work. Some will sleep in; others will shop, or go for a walk. Few will give any thought to Martin Luther King.
Twice, though, his life intersected this town in important ways.
The first was Friday night, May 22, 1964. King had been invited to speak at Temple Israel by synagogue member Jerry Kaiser.
King arrived in the afternoon. Kaiser and his wife Roslyn sat on their porch that afternoon, and talked with King and 2 of his aides. She was impressed with his “sincerity, warmth, intelligence and genuine concern for those about him — our children, for instance. He seemed very young to bear such a burden of leadership.”
Martin Luther King, with Sarah and Tema Kaiser at their home on Brooklawn Drive, before his Temple Israel appearance. Their brother Michael had a cold, and was not allowed near Dr. King.
King’s sermon — to a packed audience — was titled “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.” He analogized his America to the time of Rip Van Winkle — who also “slept through a revolution. The greatest liability of history is that people fail to see a revolution taking place in our world today. We must support the social movement of the Negro.”
Westport artist Roe Halper presented King with 3 woodcarvings, representing the civil rights struggle. He hung them proudly in the front hallway of his Atlanta home.
Artist Roe Halper (left) presents Coretta Scott King with civil rights-themed wood carvings.
Within a month Temple Israel’s rabbi, Byron Rubenstein, traveled south to take place in a nonviolent march. He was arrested — along with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.
In jail, the rabbi said, “I came to know the greatness of Dr. King. I never heard a word of hate or bitterness from that man, only worship of faith, joy and determination.”
King touched Westport again less than 4 years later. On April 5, 1968 — the day after the civil rights leader’s assassination in Memphis — 600 Staples students gathered for a lunchtime vigil in the courtyard. Nearby, the flag flew at half-staff.
A small portion of the large crowd listens to Fermino Spencer.
Vice principal Fermino Spencer addressed the crowd. Movingly, he spoke about his own experience as an African American. Hearing the words “my people” made a deep impression on the almost all-white audience. For many, it was the 1st time they had heard a black perspective on white America.
No one knew what lay ahead for their country. But student Jim Sadler spoke for many when he said: “I’m really frightened. Something is going to happen.”
Dr. Martin Luther King
Something did — and it was good. A few hundred students soon met in the cafeteria. Urged by a minister and several anti-poverty workers to help bridge the chasm between Westport and nearby cities, Staples teachers and students vowed to create a camp.
Within 2 months, it was a reality. That summer 120 elementary and junior high youngsters from Westport, Weston, Norwalk and Bridgeport participated in the Intercommunity Camp. Led by over 100 Staples students and many teachers, they enjoyed swimming, gymnastics, dance, sports, field trips, overnight camping, creative writing, filmmaking, photography, art and reading.
It wasn’t easy — some in Westport opposed bringing underprivileged children to their town — but for over a decade the Intercommunity Camp flourished.
Eventually, enthusiasm for and interest in the camp waned. Fewer Staples students and staff members wanted to devote their summer to such a project. The number of Westporters willing to donate their pools dwindled. Today the Intercommunity Camp is a long-forgotten memory.
Sort of like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Even on his birthday.
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Martin Luther King Day bonus feature: In the late 1950s, Westporter Tracy Sugarman took his son Dickie, and Dickie’s friend Miggs Burroughs, to a picnic in Stamford.
Rev. Martin Luther King was there, at the invitation of the host: Jackie Robinson.
Sugarman — a noted illustrator – was also a civil rights activist.
Miggs — a junior high student — took the Minox “spy” camera he’d bought earlier that summer.
He still has those photos. Here are the 2 pioneering Black Americans: Martin Luther King and Jackie Robinson.
(Photos/Miggs Burroughs)
I never met or saw MLK in person, but I did meet Jackie Robinson, Jack Dempsey, who won the championship in 1919, and I met a guy who fought in the Spanish-American War 128 years ago. (I also met Dan Woog a few years ago too.)
In 1963 and 1964 I was working for the Lawyers. Constitutional Defense Committee (LCDC) in Mississippi and Louisiana, representing SNIC volunteers who had been arrested for demonstrating and insisting on their right to vote. I was twice in the presence of Dr. King and will never forget how charismatic he was. In the course of my time in the South I ran into Westporter Tracy Sugarman and Alan Nevas who were doing their parts to support the movement.
It was one of the very few times in my life when I had no doubt about the righteousness of our cause. Now is another such time,
MLK would be horrified by ICE. He would be horrified by MAGA and Trump. No Maga person should use any of MLK’s words or quote him today. He stood for injustice. This country did NOT learn its lessons as a whole! We are not great again. We are broken, divided, torn apart, and have a war waged on us by our own government that has a leader who is a law breaker in the worst kind of way.
Do you think Americans voted for this ?
It’s unreal what we’ve lived through.Kudos to Larry and Stephanie for their comments.
How is it that we still have Robert E Lee Day in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas on Martin Luther King Jr Day?
MLK and Trump would be best buds holding speaking events together. 💕🇺🇸
France and Denmark are sending troops to Greenland, to protect the people of Greenland, just in case the dumbest President in history, Dementia Donny, invades Greenland! By the way, today the 10 year Treasury is at 4.22% which means the mortgage rates will climb once again. Affordability is going in the wrong direction and he is, without a doubt, the worst President ever.
Tom, what kind of asshole writes something like this? Are you trying to be funny?
Does Tom really believe Trump and MLK would be speaking together? I just do not understand how anyone could actually think that!
You have a limited brain
Scott your comment makes you the asshole. You are really dumb. It must be painful.
Scott, I think Tom was joking. He’s NOT that dumb!!
please let the author of the comment speak for themself
Let’s put an end to this one. No more comments about Tom’s comment. Thank you.
Thank you for posting where MLK meets Westport- history was made here!.
MLK was a transcendent leader striving toward Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through nonviolent means.
How the times have changed!!
Mesmerizing heartfelt speaker of truth. RIP Martin Luther King.
What I learn here (almost every day) is how Westports history is woven into World history, making ‘Where Westport Meets the World’ a very accurate description. For one tiny town it’s a Gigantic community ….and I’m proud to be a member and celebrate MLK day.
I neglected to say in my comment that while I was in Mississippi, through Tracy Sugarman’s auspices, he and I had the privilege of spending an afternoon with Fannie Lou Hamer at her home which was one of my most memorable experiences.
Hi Larry,
Its Debra Nevas, Alan’s daughter. Was my dad with you on that visit to Fannie Lou Hamer’s house? I know he went there once with Tracy, too. Hope you are well.
Maceo Snipes was a veteran and civil rights leader who was murdered in Taylor County, Georgia on July 18, 1946, after Snipes, a black World War II veteran, voted in the Georgia Democratic Party primary. He was the only Black person to vote in the entire county.
I am still going to push an idea that I had proposed along with others…
In 8th grade, students go to Washington DC on a field trip to visit the capitol.
I was always hoping for a more focused field trip on Civil Rights, specifically to Selma & Birmingham Al, and Mississippi, Tennessee and ending in Atlanta at the burial site of MLK, Ebenezer Church, and his home, just around the corner from the Civil Rights Museum.
Reading about it is one thing, seeing it in person and having it told to you is an eye-opening experience that would really resonate with students.
Celebrate all, every day.
Hi Andy. I could get behind that idea. But while they are there a tour of Arlington National Cemetery might help some understand that freedom isn’t free…
Oy. I spelled my own name wrong..lol
I even have a great restaurant for you in Arlington. The name is Saigon Saigon . It’s on 1101 South Joyce Street. I’ll meet everyone there!
I forgot to mention that the restaurant is at Pentagon Row.
Jack, have you ever had your car stolen or broken into?
Never…. I lived in South Palm Beach for 16 years. The town had 1,000 full time residents and was 1/10th of a square mile. There was one street 5/8ths of a mile long. There was a cop sitting at each end of 5/8ths. The police were MANDATED to go on to the property 5 times a day and once at night. At night they’d enter driving a golf cart. Unfortunately, the town ended their personal police force of 11 and are now part of the Palm Beach County police department. Criminal activity was extremely rare.
I never got to do the DC trip because 9/11 happened and the trips discontinued for awhile.
Would be nice on the way home to do it. Arlington is a beautiful place, especially the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.
Obviously this program would be paid for by students at a group discount and could really interest those.
I used to take 8th grade students to Puerto Rico for 4 nights and 5 days during the February break in the 1980s. The trip was wildly popular and one year we had front row seats for a Menudo concert. One year we even did 5 nights.
Before moving to Westport in 1983, I lived in Hartsdale, a suburb of White Plains, NY.
The schools were integrated. The day after Dr, King’s assassination. the entire High School population marched from Hartsdale to White Plains, about five miles. My two sons were among them, and I was so proud of them!
Bobbie Herman