King: A Life

Few figures in the United States are the subject of such widespread veneration as Martin Luther King Jr. He is the only American to have a federal holiday in his sole honor. There are more city streets named after him than anyone else, and he is widely considered one of the most famous and/or admired Americans, or even human beings, in history. His image graces books for adults and children, inspirational posters, and more recently, film adaptations such as Selma (2014) and All the Way (2016). There are plenty of valid reasons for mythmaking. The memorialization of King confirms an official commitment on the part of the United States to overcome its history of racism, however imperfectly it may be doing so. While white supremacy remains a major problem in American life, no mainstream political figure can use the overtly language racist language common in King’s day, or directly challenge King’s legacy, without suffering damage to their cause.

The main drawback of the modern King myth is that by making him a figure beloved by all and criticized by none, he is no longer controversial or challenging. At the end of the book, in remarking upon the countless homages to Martin Luther King Jr.