ers ▁to ▁the ▁hospital ▁and ▁kept ▁them ▁in ▁their ▁homes ▁until ▁r ides ▁could ▁be ▁secured ▁to ▁safety . ▁ ▁B irmingham ▁Camp aign ▁ ▁Sh utt les worth ▁and ▁the ▁AC M HR ▁were ▁responsible ▁for ▁inv iting ▁Martin ▁Luther ▁King , ▁Jr , ▁and ▁Ralph ▁A bern ath y ▁to ▁come ▁to ▁B irmingham ▁to ▁lead ▁mass ▁demonstr ations ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁Though ▁King ▁ur ged ▁quick ▁action , ▁Sh utt les worth ▁ins isted ▁on ▁waiting ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁B irmingham ▁mayor al ▁election ▁was ▁completed ▁to ▁avoid ▁giving ▁candidate ▁Bull ▁Con nor ▁any ▁un intent ional ▁assistance ▁with ▁vot ers ▁w ary ▁of ▁" out side ▁ag it ators ". ▁On ▁the ▁day ▁after ▁the ▁election , ▁won ▁by ▁perce ived ▁moder ate ▁candidate ▁Albert ▁B out well , ▁the ▁AC M HR ▁distributed ▁a ▁" B irmingham ▁Man if esto ", ▁out lin ing ▁the ▁purpose ▁and ▁dem ands ▁of ▁the ▁campaign . ▁As ▁it ▁happened , ▁even ▁B irmingham ' s ▁moder ate ▁leaders ▁opposed ▁the ▁campaign ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁that ▁the ▁incoming ▁administration ▁should ▁be ▁given ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁city ▁through ▁long - ne eded ▁changes . ▁King ' s ▁" Let ter ▁from ▁B irmingham ▁J ail " ▁respond ed ▁directly ▁to ▁local ▁white ▁religious ▁leaders ' ▁ple a ▁for ▁p atience . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁campaign , ▁Sh utt les worth ▁acted ▁as ▁an ▁emot ional ▁leader ▁for ▁AC M HR ' s ▁local