The Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis 40 years ago, but his legacy as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century prevails. In his new book, The Word of the Lord is Upon Me: The Righteous Performance of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Harvard East Asian Monographs, 2008), sociology professor Jonathan Reider illustrates King’s awesome character while reminding us of his humanity.

On April 7, Brookings hosted an event featuring Professor Rieder to discuss his book.  The discussion was part of the “Governing Ideas” series, moderated by Brookings Senior Fellow William A. Galston. The series, hosted by Governance Studies at Brookings, is intended to broaden the discussion of governance issues through forums on timely and relevant books on history, culture, legal norms and practices, values and religion. 

After the program, Professor Rieder took audience questions.