Was Martin Luther King An Agent Provocateur?

Trigger

Recently, I watched two PBS videos: “AMERICAN EXPERIENCE - The Abolitionists” and “The March” (Latter video has expired. Expiring videos is a great nuisance by PBS)

Speculations

Without further research I can at this time only offer some speculations:

1. Why did Martin Luther King and others select Birmingham (aka as Bombingham), Alabama as the target (called the “Birmingham Campaign”) for their protests and strategy?
   Was it not obvious that Eugene “Bull” Connor would react the way he did?
   Was Birmingham then really representative for the South or was it an extreme case to quickly score some points in the media etc.? MLK actually wrote in his famous letter from the Birmingham jail “probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States.”
2. Was not “Project C” named for confrontation? Confrontation of what? Nonviolence is no excuse for such provocation! This was a planned showdown with a dyed-in-the-wool lifelong unrepentant segregationist (Eugene “Bull” Connor”)
3. The above PBS video also mentioned that some of the closest advisors of MLK were suspected of being associated with Communism or to be fellow travelers of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, I do not have the time at the moment to do more research, but I have previously read about similar allegations.
4. “Martin Luther King's presence in Birmingham was not welcomed by all in the black community. A local black attorney complained in Time that the new city administration did not have enough time to confer with the various groups invested in changing the city's segregation policies.[34] Black hotel owner A. G. Gaston agreed.[34] A white Jesuit priest assisting in desegregation negotiations attested the "demonstrations [were] poorly timed and misdirected"” (Emphasis added; Source)
5. “King's supporters sent telegrams about his arrest to the White House. He could have been released on bail at any time, and jail administrators wished him to be released as soon as possible to avoid the media attention while King was in custody. However, campaign organizers offered no bail in order "to focus the attention of the media and national public opinion on the Birmingham situation"” (Emphasis added; Source)
6. “The use of children [in Birmingham] proved very controversial. Incoming mayor Albert Boutwell and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy condemned the decision to use children in the protests. Kennedy was reported in The New York Times as saying, "an injured, maimed, or dead child is a price that none of us can afford to pay", although adding, "I believe that everyone understands their just grievances must be resolved."Malcolm X criticized the decision, saying, "Real men don't put their children on the firing line."” (Emphasis added; Source) So much for nonviolence.
7. Apparently these white racists were very quick to settle with the protesters:
   “On May 8 at 4 a.m., white business leaders agreed to most of the protesters' demands. Political leaders held fast, however. The rift between the businessmen and the politicians became clear when business leaders admitted they could not guarantee the protesters' release from jail. On May 10, Fred Shuttlesworth and Martin Luther King told reporters that they had an agreement from the City of Birmingham to desegregate lunch counters, restrooms, drinking fountains and fitting rooms within 90 days, and to hire blacks in stores as salesmen and clerks. ” (Emphasis added; Source)
   “Due to problematic race relations and crippling economic status the SCLC and the Senior Citizens Committee, who represented a majority of Birmingham businesses, came to an agreement. On May 10, they agreed on the desegregation of lunch counters, restrooms, fitting rooms and drinking fountains, the upgrading and hiring of blacks, cooperation with SCLC legal representatives in releasing all jailed persons and the establishment of communication between black and whites through the Senior Citizens Committee. Because of the attack on the Freedom Riders, Project C, and Birmingham’s worsening reputation, voters had become dissatisfied with Connor. In November 1962, when the voters of Birmingham decided to switch to a Mayor-Council form of government, Connor sued to have the election thrown out. On May 11, 1963, Connor was ordered to vacate his office following the Alabama Supreme Court decision in favor of a Mayor-Council government, ending his 22-year run as the Commissioner of Public Safety.” (Emphasis added; Source)
8. “The Soviet Union devoted up to 25 percent of its news broadcast to the demonstrations, sending much of it to Africa, where Soviet and U.S. interests clashed. Soviet news commentary accused the Kennedy administration of neglect and "inactivity".” (Emphasis added; Source)
   The Cold War was still on so it was no surprise that the Soviet Union would exploit this event. As I mentioned above some of the closest advisors or people close to MLK (e.g. Bayard Rustin, blogged about Rustin here) were alleged to have communist ties. Were all these allegations purely fabricated?
9. “Alabama Governor George Wallace sent state troopers to assist Connor. Attorney General Robert Kennedy prepared to activate the Alabama National Guard and notified the Second Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Georgia that it might be deployed to Birmingham.” (Emphasis added; Source). So much for the effects of targeted provocations in the name of nonviolence! Not to mention how much this event may have contributed to violent race riots later.

Bombingham

As far as the various racially motivated bombings are concerned that occurred in Birmingham, Alabama, I would also speculate it was extreme and not typical. These bombings were foremost a crime perhaps committed by a very few persons. They should have been investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Just read that perhaps J. Edgar Hoover may have suppressed the investigation into the most famous bombing at the 16th Street Baptist Church (Source). Perhaps, a story for another blog.

Civil Disobedience & Nonviolence

The ends to not justify the means. This applies to civil disobedience and nonviolent activists as well.

Instead of blunt confrontation perhaps Birmingham, Alabama required a different approach to improve the situation.

It is a peculiar notion that avowed advocates of nonviolence, among them leaders of a Christian church, knowingly incite violence in a dangerous place like Bombingham and risk the health and life of their followers.

Eugene “Bull” Connor Was A Leading Democrat Of The South

Something that is conveniently not mentioned. See e.g. the Encyclopedia of Alabama article about him here. He is reported as presenting himself as a champion for white blue collar workers and labor unions.

Conclusion

Please do not misunderstand! I do not condone any of the acts and decisions of Eugene “Bull” Connor during this time. It is truly a stain on recent U.S. history that the perpetrators of the bombings in Birmingham were brought to justice way too late or not at all and that the U.S. President at the time (John F. Kennedy) and his brother (Robert Kennedy) did not do enough about it.

Freedom Riders, Birmingham etc. those great stories of the Civil Rights Movement appear to be to a significant extent a carefully crafted/orchestrated propaganda story.

I have previously blogged about slavery, the ideology of racism in the U.S.:

Here, here, here, here, and here.