Post contributed by The Borscht Belt Market Project
The Sullivan Catskills holds many stories within its history, but few are as significant as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last interview and penultimate speech, delivered at the Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake on March 25th, 1968.
Invited by his friends and fellow civil rights activists Rabbis Abraham Heschel and Everett Gendler, King addressed the Rabbinical Assembly’s annual gathering. Rather than giving a formal speech, he engaged in a conversation with Rabbi Gendler that touched on crucial issues still relevant today: combating antisemitism, addressing poverty and racial inequality, and strengthening alliances between Jewish and Black communities.
That evening at the Concord, King also discussed broader challenges facing America, including unemployment, the Vietnam War, and Middle East tensions. He concluded by inviting the assembled rabbis to join him at the Poor People’s March on Washington. Tragically, just ten days later, King was assassinated in Memphis.
The impact of this historic moment lives on in our region. In June 2024, the Kiamesha Lake Borscht Belt Historical Marker was unveiled in front of The Alder Hotel next to Resorts World Catskills. The marker commemorates both The Concord Hotel and Breezy Corners Bungalow Colony, featuring an image of Dr. King delivering what would become his final interview.
Today, visitors can view this marker and reflect on a moment when the Sullivan Catskills played host to one of America’s most important civil rights leaders, just days before his untimely death.
