Fifty Years Since MLK

by Brandon Terry et al

April 4, 2018, marked the fiftieth anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s death. This collection grapples with his enduring legacy. Though he is widely celebrated as a national hero—martyr to an inspiring dream about our country’s largest possibilities—many younger Americans now greet his name with suspicion, viewing him as an essentially conservative figure. These essays offer critical engagement in place of canonization, recovering—and scrutinizing—the profoundly radical nature of King’s political, moral, and religious thought.

128 pages, Paperback

Published February 2, 2018

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of essays by brilliant academics answering the question: what does Dr. King's life and teaching mean to us today? They make clear that King's work was just getting started at the time of his assassination, and root his philosophy soundly in the radical tradition despite his caricature as a nonthreatening moderate which is "the price of admission into the US pantheon of heroes." A few essays may be well worn territory for those already deep within the world of leftist discourse, but there are several thought provoking standouts nevertheless- especially Brandon Terry's contributions and Baldwin's Lonely Country by Ed Pavlic. This is a worthy and important addition to a growing collection of writing connecting the revolutionary past with today's nascent New Left.

[Gregg Damanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admittedly, some of this went over my head; not having the opportunity to read this as part of a class and to follow up with discussion made it a little difficult at times. Regardless, I had many important take aways, some of which delved deeper into King's plans and theories, many of which continue to be controversial today; the whitewashing of the way in which MLK is taught about in schools today; the fact that Richmond, VA employed an amazing social program that actively works to take thousands of people out of poverty, annually, and continues to do so today. It would behoove the rest of our country to take note and follow suit.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series of essay by different authors, looking back on the MLK legacy in intriguing ways. Highly recommended for all