What exactly did Martin Luther King Jr. stand for? Children across America learn about MLK each and every year, usually in January, near his birthday. But are the schools getting it right? They teach students about racial equality and his infamous speech, “I Have a Dream.” Is that really what King was about? Obviously, he wanted racial equality. But there was definitely more to the story. Martin Luther King was tragically murdered way too young. He sacrificed his life every single day to make a change. He knew the risks involved but it was worth it to him. He did not finish the fight. He made a tremendous impact on the movement and we can still learn from his actions today.
Michael K. Honey made some very convincing arguments in this book. The first one is based on how we, as American people, remember MLK. Like stated above, schools only teach about his influence on racial equality, but he did not stop there. He was far more than a civil rights leader. According to the text, Honey states, “Beyond King’s dream of civil and voting rights lay a demand that every person have adequate food, education, housing, a decent job and income, and a more revolutionary quest for a nonviolent society beyond racism, poverty, and war,” (p. 12). He was not only advocating for African Americans but for the poor people living in poverty as well, regardless of sex or race. This is such an important argument because people need to know what MLK stood for. He was not only trying to protect his own race but every single human being that struggled through life due to unfair working conditions. He fought for everyone to have the opportunity to succeed in life if they worked hard enough for it.
Another argument made by Honey relates to the aftermath. What did the King’s death result in? He fought so hard, but he did not live to see the end of racial and economic inequality. He saw a lot of progress in both of these, but we can still learn from his worldview today. MLK experienced a lot of violence and hate, but he handled it all so well. If America would educate themselves and work towards the same goal he had, we could achieve true economic equality. At the end of his introduction, Honey explains, “The nation may honor him now, but we should also remember the right-wing crusade against him in his own time as he sought to alternatives to America’s exploitative racial capitalism,” (p. 16). We can make a difference if we all tried to follow MLK’s ideas of being nonviolent but fighting for what you believe in.
This book is formatted into six different chapters, all starting with a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. himself. There are also many pictures of him, as well as those who fought with him throughout the book. After the introduction, Honey introduces the background of slavery and racial inequality in America. He also includes a lot of information on MLK’s ancestors. His grandparents were slaves that built America from the ground up. Honey explains, “The history of King’s ancestors had a basic labor component: slavery more than any other system of production used labor exploitation to make some people rich,” (p. 20). He also touches base on MLK’s religious beliefs and upbringing which greatly affects the way he handles issues later on in life. He continues in chapter 2 by discussing a “powerful instrument” which is the combination of unions and the civil rights movement. This greatly supports Honey’s first argument. This chapter is also full of terrible accusations MLK faced by the FBI and various other people. He was made out to be a communist by the government which pitted a lot of people against him. Chapter three describes some progress being made with desegregation. In 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize due to his nonviolent outlook on solving issues. In chapter 4, King is wrongfully put in jail. Later in the chapter, he organizes the Poor People’s Campaign. Then, things finally start to look up. The fifth chapter discusses progress being made. Many people, both black and white, started joining unions which gave them fair wages and allowed them to vote for people that would represent them well. And finally, the last chapter is filled with despair. It describes the night MLK was shot and died. He ends the book by discussing King’s impact and how he still inspires people today. Honey quotes MLK, “Many are still asking, as King did in his last year, ‘Where do we go from here?’” (p. 193).
Michael K. Honey had many strengths and few weaknesses throughout this book. His use of formatting and pictures made the text easy to read due to the great organization. As well, his sources were very credible. He did research at multiple institutions, and most importantly, he participated in events led by MLK himself. His arguments were very obvious and strongly backed up with information. The main weakness that stuck out is abbreviations. This might not be entirely his fault, but it got confusing at times, while trying to keep track of what each abbreviation stood for. There were many organizations and unions discussed throughout the book and it became hard to follow after a while. Overall, Honey did a wonderful job presenting his ideas in this book.
In conclusion, Honey wrote a great, information-filled book about Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideas and triumphs. I think anyone who enjoys history would like this book. It is full of information and can open your eyes to a different side of the civil rights movement and labor unions. King was more than an advocate for racial justice. He wanted justice for everyone. Although he did not see the end to economic oppression, he left a lasting impact on people living today. We can all learn something from MLK and apply it to today’s society.
