Harry Belafonte sues Martin Luther King Jr. estate in NY in document dispute with King family

CP25495820
FILE - In this July 26, 2013 file photo, American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist Harry Belafonte, Jr. conducts a network interview outside the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. Belafonte on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 sued the estate of Martin Luther King Jr. in New York over the fate of three documents he tried to sell at auction. (AP Photo/Phil Sears, File)

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Harry Belafonte has sued the estate of Martin Luther King Jr. in New York over the fate of three documents he tried to sell at auction.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan. It seeks unspecified damages and a court declaration Belafonte is the rightful owner.

The documents are an outline of a Vietnam War speech by King, notes to a speech King never got to deliver in Memphis, Tenn., and a condolence letter from President Lyndon B. Johnson to King’s wife after the civil rights leader’s 1968 assassination.

The lawsuit says Belafonte was preparing to auction the items in 2008 when the estate blocked it.

A lawyer for the Atlanta-based King estate says he hasn’t seen the lawsuit and can’t comment.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles