Drawing inspiration from both his Christian faith and the peaceful teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luter King Jr. led a nonviolent civil rights movement in the late 1950’s and ‘60s to achieve legal equality for African-Americans in the United States.
He also did all he could to make people realize that “all men are created equal.” and to guide a broken nation toward a future where people “will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Because of his great work, in 1964 King received the Nobel Peace Prize — the youngest person ever to receive this high honor.
Each year, the United States honors and celebrates King’s life and legacy on the third Monday in January. MLK Day is an official national day of service where citizens are encouraged to volunteer their time to make a positive change in their community. As the country continues to grapple with racial inequalities and divisiveness, and as we see that much of his dream remains unrealized, King’s struggle for equality, liberty, and justice stays strongly relevant and inspirational.
Here are some books/ebooks available in the Livingston Library’s adult collection that honor the life and legacy of Dr. King and the history of the civil rights movement.
The Library offers access to Kanopy, which has a great selection of films and documentaries on this civil rights hero.
In the voice of MLK:
- The Autobiography Of Martin Luther King, Jr
- The Landmark Speeches And Sermons Of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr : The Essential Box Set (15 CDs)
- Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Last Interview And Other Conversations
- Strength To Love
- A Testament Of Hope : The Essential Writings Of Martin Luther King, Jr
- Where Do Ee Go From Here: Chaos Or Community?
About MLK:
- Daddy King: An Autobiography by Martin Luther King Sr.
- Death of a King : The Real Story of Dr Martin Luther King Jr ‘s Final Year by Tavis Smiley
- Gospel of Freedom : Martin Luther King, Jr ‘s Letter From Birmingham Jail and the Struggle That Changed a Nation by Jonathan Reider
- The Heavens Might Crack : The Death and Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Jason Sokol
- Kennedy and King : The President, The Pastor, and the Battle Over Civil Rights by Steven Levingston
- Killing King: Racial Terrorists, James Earl Ray, and the Plot to Assassinate Martin Luther King Jr by Stuart Wexler
- My Life, My Love, My Legacy by Coretta Scott King & Phylicia Rashad Audiobook
- The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr by Peniel E. Joseph
- To Shape a New World: Essays on the Political Philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- To the Promised Land: Martin Luther King and the Fight for Economic Justice by Michael K. Honey
- Waking From the Dream: The Struggle for Civil Rights in the Shadow of Martin Luther King, Jr. by David L. Chappell
-Archana, Adult Services & Acquisitions Librarian