Some of you may recall a blog from at least a year ago about the acclaimed biography of Martin Luther King Jr., King: A Life written by Jonathan Eig. There have been many but Eig's is the first after FBI suveillance documents were released. MLK was hated by FBI director J. Edgar Hoover who didn't everything possible to discredit King, including fabricating "evidence" of his associations with communists.
It has taken me all this time to finish the book, all 550 pages of it. I am not a slow reader and the writing is superb and insightful but the next library book I put on reserve would come available and Eig's volume would gather dust for a while.
I came to the end with a profound sadness about King, not just because he was killed at the age of 39 leaving behind a wife and four children. Despite plenty of resistance and constant death threats MLK was an admired man around the time of the March on Washington and his Nobel Peace Prize. Civil Rights and Voters Rights became accepted and supported national causes by the majority of Americans.
Martin came to realize that The Viet Nam War was killing a disproportionate number of Black men and diverting billions from addressing poverty. When he began speaking out against the war even those closest to him advised against it and his patriotism was questioned in media that had once supported him. He went from being near the top of lists of admired American leaders to 40% popularity in polls. There was a growing tide of rejection amongst Blacks as well as many grew weary of the notion of non-violent change through the Civil Rights movement.
As the years went by Martin was hospitalized a number of times for exhaustion and depression, although efforts were made to hide this. President Lyndon Johnson had been a somewhat reluctant ally but turned against MLK when be became vocal about the war.
Near the end of his short life he longed to return to the pulpit even though he had plenty of opportunities to speak, often several times a day at rallies. He needed to cease from being an icon and return to being a pastor and person.
I would highly recommend this biography for lots of reasons but it is a cautionary tale about our heroes and martyrs. In a time when King is often mined for soundbite phrases, even by those on the political right, understanding him for his courage and vision is important.
2 comments:
At this time of year the lectionary readings have described the disciples feeling bereft after Christ's death at the hands of his enemies. It's so similar to the feelings of the other leaders of the civil right movement who were with MLK that day in Memphis. How would they go on? KB
Excellent analogy, Kathy, and an accurate one. The confusion amongst those closest to King as well as with Black people generally across the country led to a crisis in leadership along with widespread rioting. Is the US still waiting for a resurrection moment in terms of racial equality?
Post a Comment