3. Strain, Christopher Barry. “Civil Rights and ... - Freedom Archives

(FOR), and William Worthy, a black journalist, rapped on the front door of the Reverend
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at his parsonage in Montgomery.~~ Shivering from the chill,
the two men waited apprehensively, hands crammed in their pockets . Arnxd guards,
protecting the home against further terrorist attack, stood in the shadows nearby . Only a
few wceks earlier, on January 30, someone had tossed a single stick of dynamite onto the
King family's porch . It was now as bright as day: floodlights strung around the perimeter
of the roof illuminated the yard. It was hardly a welcoming atmosphere .
But their anticipation outweighed any uneasiness they felt . Rustin and Worthy had
heard a lot about the young preacher, especially in regard to his dynamism, his charisma, and
his presence . He had stood up to the white establishment in Montgomery, addressed
impassioned crowds at local mass meetings, and led successfully a black boycott of white-
owned businesses. He was, by all accounts, a special person, and they looked forward to
meeting him.
King's wife Coretta ushered the men inside while the young reverend fumbled with
his tie in front of the bedroom mirror . He, too, was anxious . He anticipated talking with
these men who sought to counsel him on the practical applications of nonviolence . Only four
or five people in the United States knew-really ~w-how to teach nonviolent direct
action, and two of them were coming to his home . King was already familiar with the theory
~~'I'he story of Rustin and Worthy's meeting with King has been retold in several
sources. See Garrow, l8earin~ , 59-62, 72-73 ; Branch, Parting the Waters , 173-
180 ; and Oates, Let the Trumpet Sound , 89-92 .