Tracey McKee – September 24, 2024
I had the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., this summer. While there, I walked the trail of monuments and memorials, ending the day at the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial. As people came and went, I watched as each took a moment to gaze up at King’s face. Some faces were filled with recognition, some with awe, and others with contemplation. But all were reverent as they moved about the memorial. I enjoyed watching a grandmother take her grandchildren from one inscription of King’s words to another and talk with them about each quote’s meaning. And as I took all of this in, I realized how little I knew about Martin Luther King, Jr.
As we waited for our Uber to take us back to the hotel, I ducked into the gift shop near the memorial and bought Jonathan Eig’s biography of King, a 2024 Pulitzer Prize winner: King, A Life. Following MLK from his formative youth to his tragic assassination, the book has been a great read for me so far. From Montgomery to St. Augustine, Birmingham to Selma, I have learned much more about the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and ’60s, its highs and lows, and King’s leadership role in it.
King breathed life into a non-violent crusade, inspiring Black people nationwide to press white leaders, neighbors, and naysayers to end Jim Crow and establish equal rights. The beauty of his commitment to non-violence is that it laid bare the ugliness of racism when peaceful protesters were met with brutality, like in Birmingham, AL. Images of non-aggressive protestors intimidated by dogs and fire hoses conveyed the desperation of the situation when words failed.
And, of course, King made speeches across the nation. For Black people, he inspired hope for change and cultivated resolve to stand up for equality. For white people, he pointed out the obvious discrepancy between our country’s founding ideals and its reality: If all men were created equal, how could racism and Jim Crow endure? Making a moral appeal, he called on every white person to recognize the injustice of racism and to help bring about a better America where everyone could participate in the American dream. His most notable speech is still I Have a Dream.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the man who was Martin Luther King, Jr., flawed and great, who rose to the occasion even when he himself was uncertain of the way or if he was the one to lead. If you need to be reminded of what people can do when they come together and stand against injustice, this book is for you. This book offers a great historical account if you want to learn more about the Civil Rights Movement. And, if you have never had to overcome the color of your skin, this is a must-read. It is an up-close-and-personal look at the fight to be seen, heard, and, most importantly, respected. It will help you to understand the weariness and anger that racism builds in its victims. It will help you appreciate how far we’ve come and recognize how far we still must go.
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