Rare Copy of EBONY Signed by Martin Luther King Jr. To Be Auctioned

The civil rights leader Martin Luther King (C) waves to supporters 28 August 1963 on the Mall in Washington DC (Washington Monument in background) during the "March on Washington". - King said the march was "the greatest demonstration of freedom in the history of the United States." Martin Luther King was assassinated on 04 April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray confessed to shooting King and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. King's killing sent shock waves through American society at the time, and is still regarded as a landmark event in recent US history. Image: AFP/Getty Images

EBONY Magazines have been welcomed into Black homes since 1945. They have become staple pieces on coffee tables, been used as conversational starters in hair salons and barber shops, and are keepsakes that hold the evolution of time and Black history in great esteem. The most memorable covers of our legendary publication have been known to include Lena Horne, Sidney Poitier and Martin Luther King Jr.

Can you imagine holding a signed copy from one of these late cover stars in your possession?

It's been announced that a copy of EBONY's May 1965 issue, signed by MLK Jr., will be auctioned by Nate D. Sanders Auctions on April 28, 2022.

The magazine, which includes in-depth coverage on the Selma-Montgomery march, is the singular version around to be signed by Dr. King himself, making it extremely rare. In a press release, the content of which was written by King states the following in blue ballpoint ink:

''To my Friend, Claude Wyatt, With Warm Personal Regards, Martin Luther King Jr.''

Rev. Claude Wyatt, was a significant leader during the Civil Rights Movement and marched with King from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Rev. Wyatt also served diligently on the Student Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) leadership team in Chicago.

This particular edition came five months before the signage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The magazine also includes a plethora of photos from the last three marches in Selma, making it a significant historical document.

Bidding for the May 1965 EBONY magazine begins at $25,000.