Sold For $6,196
*Includes Buyers Premium
Beautiful ballpoint signature, “Best wishes, Martin Luther King,” on the reverse of an off-white 4.5 x 3.25 dining room card from the Playboy Club in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, the front of which bears the iconic Playboy bunny logo with caption text. In very good to fine condition, with overall creasing and a central vertical fold.
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. first visited Jamaica in June 1965 to deliver the sermon at the University of the West Indies’ valedictory service. The next day, at a packed civic reception at the National Arena, Dr. King was presented with the keys to the City of Kingston after delivering another stirring 40-plus-minute address, which included the line, ‘In Jamaica, I feel like a human being.’ King returned to the island two years later to complete the manuscript for his upcoming book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, his fourth and last book before his 1968 assassination.
Accompanied by a printed composite photo of King and his wife, Coretta, during their trip to Jamaica in 1967, and a signed letter of provenance from the daughter of the original recipient, which reads: “This autograph of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was obtained by my mother in 1967 during her honeymoon in Jamaica. She and my father were vacationing on the island when they happened to visit the local Playboy Club one evening in Ocho Rios. To their complete surprise, Dr. King was there as well.
At the time, they had no idea he was on the island – his presence wasn't public knowledge. He was staying in a private bungalow nearby, likely keeping a low profile while working on what would become his final book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?
When my mother saw him, she was overwhelmed with excitement. She immediately approached him to ask for an autograph. My father, caught off guard, felt a bit embarrassed by her enthusiasm, but Dr. King warmly reassured them that it was not a problem. With nothing else available, he signed a Playboy Club card – adding a layer of irony and humanity to an already extraordinary moment.
The card has remained in our family's care ever since, preserved as both a treasured personal keepsake and a meaningful piece of history. It captures a spontaneous and deeply human interaction with one of the most significant figures of the 20th century – at a time when he was quietly preparing his final written legacy.”
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$300.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
Third-party authentication service applies only to signatures and handwriting, and does not cover the addition of sketches, artwork, musical quotations, etc.
