Martin Luther King: The Essential Box Set: The Landmark Speeches and Sermons of Martin Luther King, Jr.

by Clayborne Carson, Kris Shepard, Peter Holloran

For the first time ever, twenty-four original recordings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., from his iconic "I Have A Dream" speech to his stirring sermon "A Knock At Midnight," are collected together in this treasured box set. His landmark speeches that echoed around the world and the more intimate sermons from the churches where he carried out his ministry are just as moving and meaningful today as they were when the great orator first expressed them.Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches stirred a nation to change -- and his calls to peaceful action and refusal to turn to despair or violence in the face of injustice continue to inspire the world today. Each of the twelve sermons and speeches collected here is accompanied by an introduction by other renowned theologians and champions of civil rights, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Rosa Parks, Reverend Billy Graham, Bishop TD Jakes, Aretha Franklin, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and Representative John Lewis, who share their priceless firsthand testimony on the events that inspired the delivery of King's message.This definitive box set includes all the landmark speeches of the great orator and American leader Martin Luther King, Jr., from his inspirational "I Have a Dream" to his firey "Give Us the Ballot." Comprised of recordings previously included in A Call to Conscience and A Knock at Midnight, The Essential Box Set is a must-have for any home, library, or school collection.

Genres: History, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Faith, Politics, Theology

Audiobook

First published January 15, 2001

About the author

Clayborne Carson is professor of history at Stanford University, and director of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute. Since 1985 he has directed the Martin Luther King Papers Project, a long-term project to edit and publish the papers of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reviews

[Lzz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audiobook, which is really the way to go, because it features many of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches and sermons as they were originally recorded (live in churches, at rallies, etc.) more than 50 years ago.

This audiobook gave me LIFE. No matter if I was in a bad mood on the way home from work, or needed a pick-me-up any old time, MLK would get me amped. Sometimes sad, sometimes elated, sometimes indignant-- but always motivated. The introductions by various pastors, actors, activists, and other people of note are also amazing. They pack a ton of history into this book.

MLK was a prophet and being able to listen to his voice and his words truly felt like a gift. I will definitely be listening to this many times over.

[Casey Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal. You can read about King, you can read King, or you can hear King. There's no substitute for the latter. To hear his words in his voice is irreplaceable. Highly recommended.

[Wootamno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, for the lack of a better word, he's too preachy. Not always practical. I think I've even heard him admit something along those lines himself. And other times, he baffled me with his ability to move massive crowds and sell his words and make a change. To me, this was a study in his leadership among other things.

But out of so many good words I've decided to quote this one. As a reminder that while we may not see the end of the reign of terror, it will end.

"And I guess one of the great agonies of life is that we are constantly trying to finish that which is unfinishable. And so we find ourselves in so many instances having to face the fact that our dreams are not fulfilled. Now, let us notice first that life is a continual story of shattered dreams."

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While MLK was first a preacher, his Biblical texts almost always turn to social justice. Hearing his passion toward helping people heightened my conviction to do more. His martyred life even before his martyr's death understandably turned almost always turned texts, which I had read spiritually with a view to eternity, with an application socially with a view to the practical here and now. Exegetically he misses the mark but not accidentally nor ignorantly. He intentionally applies his texts using his intellect and his identification with his audience to undergird God's timeless truth to timely issues.

[Yumi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite speeches: I've Been to the Mountaintop and I Have a Dream

[Shellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the last four days I’ve listened to this in every spare moment. I have laughed, cried, been humbled, been taught, and a whole lot of inspiration.

“No matter where you are you are today, somebody helped you get there.” ~~MLK

We are NOT alone.

It really is amazing we have so much audio of this clearly brilliant man. I am embarrassed to admit I have never listened to one of his speeches in its entirety, only in bits and pieces. I was positively mesmerized by his cadence, tone, thought process, analogies, comparisons, testimony, knowledge, etc.

I knew he was something - but oh my he is so more than something. He is gifted beyond his years. He is blessed so fully and completely in understanding being human and frail in a very non-frail world.

I can easily see why he had such a devoted and passionate following. I can see why he still has a devoted and passionate following, and still has the ability to change hearts and lives. He has changed mine.

[Cole Schoolland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having not engaged with Dr. King's work outside of platitudes and quotes for some time, I was amazed (and shamed) at how relevant his words still are (yes, I'm a cliché but stick with me). We have white-washed his message politeness in the exact vein he warned us about in the 1960s.
Reading is one thing, but it was an incredible experience to actually hear the recordings of this master orator. The passion of his own voice echoed by the murmuring affirmations of the crowds are something you don't get from the written version.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad I skipped past the first very-hard-to-hear recording, and listened through the rest. AMAZING set of speeches, even his earlier ones where he's just preaching to other preachers. Unbelievable our country was at this point a century after the Emancipation Proclamation - and pitiful that even now another half century after MLK and the '60s civil rights protests, we still don't seem to making much progress....

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled across an audio version not knowing it was actually recordings of King himself. While he regularly spoke to the issues of his day, it’s troubling that his words still hit the mark on modern issues 50 years after his death. And hearing it in his own words and delivery was an other-worldly experience. I’ll be listening to this again and again until we have reached the promise land.

[Nathan Hoyt · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an orator, but even more what a leader. What more can be said.

I was surprised just how much of his speeches were sermons. I am puzzled why I didn't realize that before listening to this set of sermons.

The only thing that keeps me from giving it a 5 stars is a desire I have to have a bit more of the history surrounding the speeches.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite interesting to listen to this collection of speeches. Unrelated, but worth meditating on: if you can contribute even a few epigrams or ideas to the conversation happening through history, you're probably doing well.

[RD McClenagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to this and was astounded and convicted by Dr. King’s brilliance, prophetic passion, and eloquence. His sermon “A Knock at Midnight” will be with me for a long time.

[Ian Coats · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pinnacle of what it ~should~ mean to be a Christian.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot recommend this box set enough. The introductions and opening essays, sometimes read by the writers themselves, are insightful and heartfelt, but hearing the speeches and sermons in the voice of one of America’s greatest men ever is the real meat beneath the gravy. You don’t have to be Christian to see the wisdom layered within his sermons, and you don’t need to have been there, at that time and in that fight, to understand the messages in his speeches. None of it has lost an ounce of relevancy because of what’s going on in America today, from people who believe themselves to be and insist they are Christians yet figuratively wipe their asses on the Gospels of Jesus of Nazareth and scream F**K YOU GOD! At the sky by voting for Republicans, to those who call themselves patriots and true Americans, yet dishonor everything working-class Americans fought and died for by voting for Republicans, the war against hatred, fear, and ignorance, against manipulating and underfunding the poor to make the rich richer is still going on today. Sometimes the Reverend Doctor King Junior was speaking to audiences containing many who were poorly educated, but it’s clear from their quite audible reactions that they understood what he meant. I hope you will too. Please listen to these disks, listen carefully, and then listen again.

[Brenda Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is love correcting everything which stands against love."
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

[Linda Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook and that is how you MUST do it. Dr. King is an amazing orator and riveting preacher. While I had heard a few of his most famous speeches over my life, hearing them all in a few days was amazing. I was also impressed that a number of themes and allusions recurred in many of his speeches. Also impressive was the man's great intellect and schooling. As these were based on recordings made during the 1960s some of the quality is not what we are used to today. The first speech had the worst quality so stick to it and you will not be disappointed.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

People think they know who Dr. King is but they have never listen to him. To listen to him is to know who he was and what he stood for. Dr. King had a dream that is the same dream our Creator has for mankind, that we all live together in peace and harmony. Dr. King spoke out against Communism, War, Any kind of racial Power, he was a All Lives Matter kind of guy.

[Erwin Rossen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The speeches are monumental and very inspiring. The man has a way of speaking that is pure poetry, the man has a message that is pure passion and still political.