In his brief life, Martin Luther King Jr. had a variety of interests that informed his work as leader of the civil rights movement. His alma mater has collected some objects that tell his story.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Articles on Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK)
Displaying 21 - 40 of 148 articles
MLK’s vision for nonviolence included abolishing what he called triple evils – racism, poverty and militarism.
King saw parallels between the anti-colonial movement in Africa and the civil rights struggle in the US.
Kaunda will be remembered as a giant of 20th century African nationalism – a leader who gave refuge to revolutionary movements, a relatively benign autocrat and an international diplomat.
Meredith is a civil rights hero who doesn’t fit neatly into political categories. He espouses conservative ideas, yet he proclaims a radical mission to destroy white supremacy.
Some among the Baptist movement interpret the Resurrection as God’s response and commitment to liberating the poor and the oppressed.
In choosing a Hebrew Bible belonging to a civil rights leader, Rabbi Jacob Rothschild, Sen. Jon Ossoff appeared to be sending out a message on the strong historic ties between Black people and Jews.
US cities began naming streets in Black neighborhoods for Martin Luther King Jr. after his 1968 assassination. Researchers studying these areas 50 years later found entrenched deprivation.
The church has played a vital role in America’s civil rights struggle. It was the spiritual home to MLK, to the generations that shaped the vision of the late civil rights leader, and now to Sen. Raphael Warnock.
A set of efforts that registered 800,000 new voters since 2018 may have been the key to Georgia turning blue in a presidential election for the first time since 1992.
From the civil rights era to the 2020 election, Black Churches have been at the forefront of encouraging voter registration – and fighting voter suppression.
There are similarities between the law-and-order language used by the 1968 and 2020 presidential candidates and the racial tension and political polarization both years. But much is different.
Many of us believe that outrage is an appropriate response to what appears to be a selfishly motivated refusal to wear a mask, but is it?
As British journalist and author, Reni Eddo-Lodge, writes, the US civil rights movement too often becomes “the story of the struggle against racism”.
A professor of homiletics explores the different personas Black preachers wear in the public sphere and how this has often been misunderstood.
Though he had a speech impediment and came from humble beginnings, John Lewis went on to become a giant of the civil rights movement.
Books, movies and records that seem to challenge racism also subtly advance the idea that progress shouldn’t happen too quickly.
From the earliest days of the civil rights struggle, Black religious leaders have infused the fight for justice with spirituality. Rep. Lewis and Rev. Vivian are no exception.
Some lament that today’s anti-racism movement has no charismatic leaders like the civil rights era did. Such comparisons don’t reflect the real history of the struggle for Black equality in the US.
In many national crises, black Americans have been essential workers – but serving in crucial roles has not resulted in economic equality.
Top contributors
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Adjunct professor of Justice, Law and Criminology, American University School of Public Affairs
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Professor of English, North Carolina State University
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Professor of American History, University of Colorado Colorado Springs
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Professor of Geography and Senior Research Associate in the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State
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Professor of Homiletics, Howard University
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John Rennie Short is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
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Sharon D. Wright Austin is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Political Science, University of Florida
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Bizot Family Professor of History, University of Memphis
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Professor in American Studies, Northumbria University, Newcastle
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Assistant Professor of Intellectual Heritage, Temple University
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Associate Professor of Africana Studies and History, Bowdoin College
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Lecturer of Labor Studies, University of California, Los Angeles
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Professor of History, University of Dayton
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PhD Candidate in History, University of Leeds
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Managing Director of the McCourtney Institute of Democracy, Associate Research Professor, Political Science, Co-host of Democracy Works Podcast, Penn State
