MLK Reading Series

Join MCSP, CSP, and LSWA for a series of conversations addressing the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at this crucial turning point in the history of racism in America. More than fifty years ago, King made a call for a poor people’s campaign to take up arms against the evils of racism, poverty, and militarism. Yet, King’s expanding and increasingly radical vision for his work is often forgotten, co-opted by voices that distort his emphasis on love, compassion, and nonviolence to serve the status quo. Anti-racist activists who’ve followed King have had to grapple with how to interpret and respond to his legacy. One of them, the Rev. William Barber relaunched the Poor People’s Campaign in 2018, adding to King’s list of evils “environmental degradation” and calling for a multiracial coalition of poor people to challenge America’s exploitation of its people and the land. This three-part reading group will trace King’s varied legacy from his last published book to the present day and consider how those of us working for social justice can understand and build on his legacy.

Any questions, or to receive the RSVP link for the reading materials and the Zoom link, email LSWA Director Carol Tell (tellc@umich.edu).

Jan. 13, 5 p.m. King, “The World House,” from Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?
Feb. 25, 5 p.m. “MLK Now” by Brandon Terry and responses
NEW DATE Apr. 8, 5 p.m. William Barber, “Pastoral Letter to the Nation” and Marc Lamont Hill, “Language of the Unheard” and “Toward an Abolitionist Vision”