On Sunday the Westport Library’s Trefz Forum was standing room only for what may arguably be one of the best MLK Day celebrations Westport has seen to-date. The term “epic” may be quite over used but anyone who attended this event could hardly disagree. This achievement was made possible by a collaboration between the Library, TEAM Westport, the Westport Country Playhouse and Westport/Weston Interfaith Clergy and Council.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on any image to enlarge and open gallery.

The stellar line-up of speakers included U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Representative Richie Torres from the Bronx, New York’s 15th Congressional district, acclaimed novelist, playwright, and filmmaker Trey Ellis, TEAM Westport (Together Effectively Achieving Multiculturalism) Chair Harold Bailey and Westport Library Director Bill Harmer.

What place this event on a whole new level was the appearance of guest of honor civil rights icon Dr. Clarence B. Jones who served as legal counsel, strategic advisor, and draft speechwriter to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1960 until King’s assassination in 1968. Among his many accomplishments was his writing of the first seven paragraphs of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech which is one of the nation’s most well known and beloved addresses in recent history. The interview was conducted by Westport’s own Craig Melvin, noted NBC anchor, correspondent and host of the 3rd hour of the Today Show.

The event, which was Westport’s 18th celebration of MLK day, began with opening remarks by TEAM’s Harold Bailey who made mention of the visit by Dr. King to Westport’s Temple Israel on May 22nd, 1964 where he spoke before a crowd of more than 600 people. Bailey spoke about his and TEAM’s efforts to encourage diversity, equity and inclusion in the Town of Westport.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on any image to enlarge and open gallery.

The next speaker was U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who was called a “national treasure” by Bailey, a comment which clearly amused the Senator who said he had never been called that before, and quipped that he hoped that his wife Cynthia would take note of the accolade. Blumenthal thanked Melvin and Congressman Torres whom he called his heroes for being great advocates in the spirit of Martin Luther King. Blumenthal went on to praise Dr. Clarence Jones for the powerful support that he gave to King, including his contribution to King’s “I have a dream” speech. He stressed the need to recognize that troubled times we are in currently quoting King who said that “hate cannot drive out hate, only love can drive out hate” adding, “Where there is injustice anywhere, there is injustice everywhere.

Next was a brilliant performance of Donny Hathaway’s “Someday We Will All Be Free” by violinist Kersten Stevens, six-time winner of amateur night at the Apollo and Stratford native. Next, Westport’s Lisa Weitzman, co-founder of the “Spill The Honey Organization” which helps build Black-Jewish relations presented a pre-recorded very special conversation on the Forum’s giant screen with the guest of honor, Dr. Jones, who she then welcomed to the stage. Trey Ellis then introduced Craig Melvin who began what turned out to be an interview which captivated the audience for more than an hour.

What transpired during that time was the 93 year old Jones describing highlights of his life and regaled the audience with stories of his association with King and other civil right leaders with whom he worked closely, including the celebrated entertainer and activist Harry Belafonte and Andrew Young, former Ambassador to the United Nations and mayor of Atlanta who is credited with helping to draft the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which was instrumental in helping to secure the rights of African Americans.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on any image to enlarge and open gallery.

Dr. Jones was described as “bringing history to life” with his stories of his significant contributions to civil rights and gave insight to the inner workings of his part of the movement with Dr. King. He spoke of the time when Dr. King and many of his young supporters were arrested in April of 1960, spending 5 days in jail. He was contacted by Nelson and David Rockefeller, part of one of the wealthiest families in America who wanted to help with King and his supporter’s plight. He was called at the suggestion of Bellefonte to the Chase bank in New York, now called Chase Manhattan, where he met the Rockefellers and of which David was chairman and CEO. David then began counting out $100 bills until he reached a total of $100,000.00 which was to be given to Jones to aid in the bail for King and his supporters. He then described how he had to sign an on-demand promissory note as per banking regulations, which took him by surprise, telling he audience “ Oh my Lord, I better not tell my wife”. He called Bellefonte and complained that he had to sign the note, to which Bellefonte replied “better you than me” causing Jones to yell, “but you got more money than me.” Jones finished the story by speaking of the following Tuesday when a messenger arrived at his office bearing that promissory note which had been marked “Paid In Full”. He informed the audience that King’s most famous speech, the first paragraphs he wrote, was from that point on entirely extemporaneous. He described how famous gospel singer Mahalia Jackson yelled to King “tell him about the dream”, and the rest was history. These stories held the rapt attention of the audience who would probably have listened to his stories for another hour.

Above, (left) Shonda Rhimes was in the audience and was given a shout-out by Dr. Jones who called her “his Goddaughter”.

Jones had answered Melvin’s questions mostly in normal tones, however when the topic of anti-semitism and the Gaza situation was raised, Dr. Jones became heated, defending Israel’s attempt to eliminate the threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel. Jones had become very close to the Jewish community through the years having become close friends with Jewish students in college.

What followed was the appearance on stage of Congressman Torres who In 2013, at the age of 25, became New York City’s youngest elected official and the first openly LGBTQ person elected to office in the Bronx. Jones was clearly highly impressed with Torres, joking that he would become president of the United States one day. Dr. Jones then gave a shout out to entertainment mogul Shonda Rhimes who is a Westport resident, whom he called his “Goddaughter” and who was in the audience and who lovingly accepted Jones’ acknowledgement.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on any image to enlarge and open gallery.

Near the end of his appearance he discussed an intimate experience with King who had been having mental health issues and King’s personal physician who was attempting to have King see a psychiatrist. Jones pushed back telling the doctor that there was no way he would allow that fearing that “within thirty to sixty days that Martin King is under regular consultation of a psychiatrist the transcript of everything he said to the psychiatrist would be on J. Edgar Hoover’s desk”. Hoover was the very powerful head of the FBI who vehemently opposed the work of Dr. King and went to great lengths to destroy his career. At this point, Dr. Jones came to tears as he described his efforts to help and protect King to which the audience responded with tremendous applause as they heard this story, for many the first time they would hear of it. What follows was a standing ovation as Jones tearfully said “I wish that I could have done better, but I didn’t, I’m sorry, I did the best that I could.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on any image to enlarge and open gallery.

Mr. Melvin told WestportLocalPress, “It was an honor and privilege to spend time in conversation with Clarence Jones, a living piece of essential history. His stories, perspective, and humor were precisely what we needed to honor and celebrate his friend and our angel, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I just sat there like a fly on the wall. I’d do it every weekend if asked. What a special afternoon.” 

As we said earlier, history came alive at the Westport Library on Sunday.

To see this amazing and unforgettable presentation visit the Westport Library’s YouTube recording here: Westport Library MLK Celebration YouTube Video

After the conclusion of the event, Dr. Jones held a signing of his new book, Last of the Lions: An African American Journey in Memoir

Last of the Lions is two histories woven into one remarkable story. It's a personal history – the evocative life of Clarence B. Jones, from his depression- and segregation-era upbringing at the hands of caring Irish Catholic nuns through our current era (when America elected a President to follow the first black man to hold the office with a man dog-whistling to white supremacists for four years). And all the amazing moments in between – his Ivy League years, his unprecedented dual role as simultaneous military draftee and protester, his work as an entertainment lawyer, financial and media entrepreneur, and more. But it's also the coming-of-age story of this country, with the kind of intimate observations and thought-provoking perspective that unfurl in classics like Soul on Ice, On the Road, and The Feminine Mystique.

Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on any image to enlarge and open gallery.