Customer Reviews

Wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr

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This is a pretty concise collection of fairly lengthy excerpts of Dr. King's speeches. Mostly from around 1961-65. "The American Dream", a sermon that he gave on several occasions, is here in the 1961 version. Not bad, but the better version was one he gave at his church on July 4, 1965. "Creative Protest" is worth the price of admission alone in that it is one of the most eloquent defenses against his critics. Here, he takes on critics of his method of direct and nonviolent protest and explains its historical patterns. "Better Way" and "We Shall Overcome" are not as familiar to most modern listeners as "I Have a Dream" and "The Mountaintop," but they are in the similar mode of allusions to Negro spirituals and the gospels. Kingologists will enjoy. Also, it is interesting to compare the hopeful note of this CD with it's flipside "The Wisdom of Malcolm X."

Martin Luther King Jr. truly has no peers as an erudite African American preacher. He perfectly blends the style and tradition of the Black preacher with the homiletical genius of the best theologian. When it comes to balance and delivery, he simply has no peers. This is a nice collection of speeches. If you have only heard those "big" mainstream media friendly speeches, then this will be an eye opener. This man was truly a prince among preachers.

A must have for anyone who is a student of the teachings of MLK. The essence of the man is clearly shown in this collection.