BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Clarence B. Jones, an attorney and speechwriter for Martin Luther King, Jr. who was with the late minister and civil rights activist for most of his public life, including helping to draft his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, has died.
Jones’ son, Clarence Jr., first confirmed his death to The New York Times Monday afternoon, saying he died Friday at an assisted living facility in Cupterino, California. He was 95.
Before getting involved with MLK and the civil rights movement, Jones had made his living as an entertainment lawyer in California. His first contact with King was in 1960, when he and his legal partner, Michael Harrington, had helped provide research for his tax fraud case…