Reclaiming the Radical MLK with Jonathan Eig

This week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Prof. Albert Cheng of the University of Arkansas and Alisha Searcy interview New York Times best-selling biographer of MLK, Jonathan Eig. Mr. Eig delves into MLK's early spiritual leadership, the influence of Langston Hughes on his speeches, and his relationship with his wife, Coretta Scott King. He also discusses the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's challenges, historic events in Birmingham, Alabama, the March on Washington, and MLK's struggles in Chicago, concluding with the Poor People's Campaign and the tragic events leading to his assassination in 1968. Eig underscores the multifaceted aspects of MLK's life, and provides insights on drawing lessons for contemporary challenges in race relations and leadership. Mr. Eig closes the interview with a reading from his book, King: A Life.