Okay. All right. Now, [Reverend] Dr. [Martin Luther] King was here in '65' [1965], was it? Or was it '64' [1964]?
Yeah, '64' [1964].
And what was the... what was the, I guess the residual effect of Dr. [Martin Luther] King coming to Chicago [Illinois]? Do you think it did a lot of good for this city?
Oh, it did a lot of good everywhere he went, man. It didn't do what he wanted it to do, and so forth. But [Reverend Dr. Martin Luther] King's presence was very positive, and started to open some doors and so forth. His movement was very positive. When you look at the way things are now, sometimes people will wonder. But it's a fact.
Did he shake things up a little bit?
Oh, yes.
When he was around, did his movement like gain allies, or did people shrink back more because of the opposition of the mayor [Richard J. Daley]?
Well, there was a certain group that galvanized and came close, and others stayed back; you always find that. But he had very good support, I would think in Chicago [Illinois].
Okay. Were you part of that Soldier Field rally [July 10, 1966]?
Yeah. I, I introduced him at Soldier Field [Chicago, Illinois].
Well, you were definitely part of it.
No, I was just there and what not, because King and I were not that close. But I was president of the Conference at that time, I think it was. And I'm the one that introduced him.
How did that feel, in front of all those people? And-
Frightening, you know, nervous. And I think about that, man. That was forty years ago, yeah. Quite exciting.
Okay. And when Dr. King left... I mean, how did the movement progress after he left? He left in-
Well, with him leaving we had [HM Reverend] Jesse [Jackson, Sr.] and Operation Breadbasket and what not to carry on and so forth, and continue to galvanize and organize... strategize, and to enforce the things that he was all about. So, I think we maintained a pretty good posture here in Chicago [Illinois] on [Reverend Dr. Martin Luther] King's movement.
What was the biggest issue that you all faced, you know?
Going to Gage Park [Housing March, August 5, 1966]. I didn't go there with him that day that they were stoned so bad... and cursing and called all kinds of names and so forth, yeah. But out in Gage Park, I think was-
Did it surprise you and shock you?
No, that's what I said in the beginning. I knew that it was here all the time, but in a very subtle kind of way. But the same kind of prejudice, racism, and what not that was in the South was here in Chicago [Illinois].