VICTORY TOGETHER
FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
By Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr.
A.W.O.L. PUBLICATIONS
WWW.VICTORYTOGETHERFORMLKJR.COM
VICTORY TOGETHER FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
The Story of Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., Governor Evan Mecham and
the Historic Battle for a Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday in Arizona
BY DR. WARREN H. STEWART, SR.
ISBN # 978-0-996-226-0-1
548 Pages / Trade Paperback / Photos - $24.95
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National – A.W.O.L. Publications has published VICTORY TOGETHER FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: The Story of Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., Governor Evan Mecham and the Historic Battle for a Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday in Arizona by Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr.
Dr. Warren Stewart, Sr.’s long-awaited epic account of a significant and historic period in Arizona’s history is the only extensive and personal account of Arizona’s Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday campaign and Arizona’s metamorphosis as the sole state to have its King holiday rescinded and defeated. Thus, Arizona became the only state in the union to approve the King holiday by an overwhelming vote of the people in a general election in 1992.
Dr. Warren Stewart's more than six and a half years of campaigns, personal notes, letters, minutes of meetings, telephone messages, tape recordings, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs and private recollections of the Arizona, King holiday fight from 1986 to statewide victory in 1992 are detailed for preservation in this tremendous and powerful book, Victory Together For Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Story of Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., Governor Evan Mecham and the Historic Battle for a Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday In Arizona.
In this autobiographical and historic final statement of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday battle in Arizona, Dr. Stewart’s former positions as general chairperson of two of the major MLK Jr. holiday coalitions, which successfully campaigned for the holiday, Arizonans for a Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday, from November 1986 to January 1990, andVictory Together, from November 1990 to November 1992, uniquely allowed him to write this historic book, through the grace of God, and publish it after twenty-one years.
This is the story of an African American Baptist preacher who led the fight against momentous odds to honor the man who had been to the mountaintop of 'Liberty and Justice for all', Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and two strong individuals, Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., pastor of the First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix, Arizona and former Arizona Governor Evan Mecham's, influence on an entire state and nation in a test of wits and wills that would either secure the Martin Luther King, Jr. Arizona state holiday for all Americans, or not.
It all began Friday afternoon May 16, 1986 when then Governor Bruce Babbitt called Dr. Stewart and stated, “Warren, I would like to declare Arizona’s first Martin Luther King, Jr. paid state holiday from the pulpit of the First Institutional Baptist Church." That day marked the beginning of a journey that would become one of the most prolific political battles ever waged and won in any state of the union.
From the beginning of the many efforts to persuade Governor-elect Mecham not to rescind the King holiday that Governor Bruce Babbitt had declared won from the pulpit, Dr. Warren Stewart, Sr., would give a 'Victory for Martin' speech in the then, American West Arena, on January 15, 1993, three days prior to Arizona’s first official celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Arizona State Federal Holiday.
One of Dr. Stewart’s most memorable recollections during the long battle to bring King Day to Arizona was Coretta Scott King’s statement to him: “Your tireless dedication to securing the passage of proposition 300 which enabled Arizona to become the 49th state to observe the King Federal Holiday is inspiring."
Tony Rose, NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literature and the Publisher/CEO of Amber Communications Group, Inc. stated, Victory Together For Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Story of Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., Governor Evan Mecham and the Historic Battle for a Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday In Arizona “should be in the hands of every Arizona city and state government official as well as in every library, school, college and university across the state and across the nation. It is a must read."
Chapter Titles include: “Black Folks Don’t Need a Holiday”; Arizonans for a Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday; Inside the Arizona State Capitol; Our Most Militant, but Effective Weapon: The Convention Boycott and Mecham’s Downfall: The End at the Beginning – Mishandling the Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday.
Victory Together For Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Story of Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., Governor Evan Mecham and the Historic Battle for a Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday in Arizona will broaden your insight about: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Posthumous Influence, Opposing Factions Working Together, Leadership under Fire, African-Americans Making a Difference, Peculiar Politics Arizona-Style, Racism and Bigotry Engrained, Matters of Faith in the Marketplace, Grassroots Coalition-Building, Losing and Winning, “Uneasy Alliance” with Big Business, A Half-Billion Dollar Holiday Boycott, Black Lives Matter—Then and Now, Following God Regardless.
Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr. has been recognized by others as "a man of conscience, commitment and dedication to the cause of moral leadership, human rights and a soldier of justice and equality." A native of Coffeyville, Kansas and reared in an African American Church environment, he began as pastor of the First Institutional Baptist Church on July 1, 1977. He led two grassroots coalitions which won a Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday twice, once temporarily in 1989 and permanently by a vote of the people in Arizona in 1992. He is an enthusiastic husband, father, grandfather and servant leader.
VICTORY TOGETHER FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
The Story of Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., Governor Evan Mecham and
the Historic Battle for a Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday in Arizona
By Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr.
Media contact:
Dr. Warren H. Stewart,Sr., Publisher/CEO
602-258-1998 ext. 2210
