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As we anticipate the long-awaited release of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic SelmaThe New York Times has uncovered a letter from a FBI affiliate sent to the Civil Rights leader and reverend in its full, original form. The ill-intended and foul-mouthed letter suggested Dr. King commit suicide for his conflicts with FBI Executive Director J. Edgar Hoover and rumors of his sex addict ways in light of his Good Samaritan reputation.

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The discovery of the letter makes for a vile reminder of what Dr. King went through as he and thousands of Black Americans stood together in the fight for equal rights. Despite eventually gaining vigilant security as his altruism led to celebrity status, the FBI, under the lead of scrooge Hoover, developed an aggressive agenda to mentally poison King, and this was even before the letter was birthed. The letter was written while during the the organization’s initial purpose of overseeing the legend for “security matter” reasons, but what actually happened was a lot of spying and accusations of pro-Communism from the FBI towards King. In response, Dr. King voiced his disappointment in Hoover’s broken promises on integration laws. In the Times expose, Beverly Gage held the hostile letter herself, experiencing all of its detrimental aura, and the past of one of the most notorious pieces of paper in American history.

In reviewing, Gage felt that this FBI member was so entangled on wanting to ruffle King, they got lost in their own web of rage. Major details includes a recommendation that King step down as a Civil Rights leader and let the older generation lead the way like the NAACP’s Roy Wilkins. There are graphic points of what they thought they knew of his sex life (which Gage said were the racist element) and the on-going sense of distrust from King towards Hoover.

It’s controversial, crazy and unbelievable. Here’s how the first paragraph went to give an idea. It reads:

“In view of your low grade, abnormal personal behavior, I will not dignify your name with either a Mr. or a Reverand or a Dr. And, your last name calls to mind only the type of King such as King Henry VIII and his countless acts of adultery and immoral conduct lower than that of a beast”.

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

 For the whole letter, click here.

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