The talk, entitled "The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.," was delivered by David Garrow, a Pulitzer Prize winning researcher on the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and professor at the Emory University School of Law.
Garrow's lecture focused on King's alleged radicalism and dislike of celebrity. These two aspects of King's personality are often ignored or covered up by American historians, according to Garrow. Garrow credits this alleged cover-up to the fact that "[the traits are] culturally radical and discombobulating."
Garrow described two major sources of documents attesting to King's alleged radicalism. One of these sources is the recordings and transcripts of King's sermons. According to Garrow, the sermons demonstrate King's extreme religiosity. Those religious overtones, however, were edited out of many of King's publications to appeal to what Garrow called "northern white liberals."
"[Those edited publications present] Martin Luther King not as preacher, but Martin Luther King as philosopher," said Garrow.
In addition, the editing process allegedly diminished King's leftist economic view point and belief that social change could only come through economic change. In particular, Garrow believes that King's belief in democratic socialism was covered up.
The second type of source used by Garrow to research King was Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) wire taps of King's telephone conversations.
"What comes through more powerfully [by listening to the wire taps] … is what a humble … and self-critical man King was," said Garrow. "[King] feels fundamentally undeserving of that degree of praise and credit [that he received as a result of his activism]."
The talk then surveyed King's life from his being thrust into the spotlight in the 1950s in Montgomery until his Chicago campaign in the late 1960s.
Garrow shed light on King's initial dislike of the spotlight. "He was emotionally uncomfortable about a public role," said Garrow.
But King soon underwent a transformation, what Garrow called the "Vision in the Kitchen."
"What he was experiencing … was a very expressed … sense of a mission given to him," said Garrow. "[It was part of] accepting a self-understanding … that he had no choice but to accept this new responsibility with an attitude of giving of himself."
Garrow also discussed King's 1967 receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize. Allegedly, King didn't want to accept the prize, as he felt he was unworthy. According to Garrow, he eventually accepted it and viewed it as reason to devote himself to more global causes in addition to the civil rights campaign.
"He accepted simply as a representative, a trustee ... of other people in the movement," said Garrow.
Some students weren't impressed by Garrow's talk, as they failed to connect with the speaker and felt he didn't conclusively prove King's radicalism.
"[King's radicalism] wasn't the thrust of the speech," said Peter Juran '02.
"The flyers were more effective than the speaker," said Mike Nichols '02, referring to the various flyers and table tents that have plastered the College campus for the past two weeks. Many of the flyers included quotes by King attesting to his radicalism.
The talk was sponsored by Financial Aid and Class Equality.