when I came to Memphis I fell into good company Rabbi James wax dean demmick we
got together and felt that we had to do something for the difficult situation
that the sanitation workers were working in there were things that were happening
that were life-threatening and and no one said anything we tried to form a
union and that's nothing new it's nothing nothing extraordinary but the
powers that be refused to recognize the Union and that was a big issue at that
time but there were only a few white ministers that were involved and why
because we're talking about segregation the few white ministers that were
involved some of know threatened to lose their their jobs and things like that
you might ask well how about your congregation well the worst comment that
I heard during those years was and and the language of the of the people here
was was Greek in those days and where's father Veera
I must said I was said in Greek and then translated (speaks in Greek).
where's father be wrong he's always with the black people and the point is that
if you say it in Greek it sounds almost endearing you know in English it's a
it's a little like condemnation against but that's the extent of being
criticized and on my part when they were having meetings
representatives of mayor Loeb and representatives of the sanitation
workers instead of talking to each other they refused because talking to each
other meant that that the city would be recognizing the union and so it was
almost ready to adjourn and so I suggested I was vice president
then I suggested that talk through the chair like almost like little children
you know asking this you know and we would ask and the answer would come back
and that's how the meeting was conducted
the problem was all solved it was sad that it caused a visit from this giant
of a man Dr. Martin Luther King to come to Memphis to meet his goal golfer to
meet his his destiny for life at thereafter
next morning we got together the clergyman and we met at St. Mary's
episcopal cathedral on pop law we met there there were more ministers than we
had ever seen before because the tragic event of the assassination drew people
toward justice that had to be served and I remember seeing my friend James Jordan
and instinctively I know this mace may sound corny
it might have sounded corny then and I just went before him and knelt and I
said I want I get emotional when I referred to this but I want to ask
forgiveness from you for what someone from my race did to Martin Luther King
and then someone said let us visit the mayor and that's what we did from we
went and in a procession we don't call it a march now we call it a procession
from St. Mary's Cathedral to the mayor's office
we tried to rectify the injustice that existed at that time the sentiments of
these 10 or 13 men are very close to what Dr. Martin Luther King preached and
what he stood for like that speech one day I will see you know little boys and
little girls playing together maybe that hadn't come around entirely but a great
amount of effort has been put into it you go to a good eating establishment 60
years ago and there was not one black person there unless he was serving now
you go to some wonderful places eating establishments and more than half of the
people are black well-dressed as they should be is there
something more that that should be done yes we from what I hear and what I read
the opportunity for financial growth is still pending
the the the effort that we have to give comes almost automatically to those who
look upon each other whether they're from India or from Africa or from Greece
or from every other part of the world and now that colored person black or
white walks beside us and should continue it's not an advice it's
something that is reflected in the lives of more people now than ever before
you