Civil Rights

I really enjoyed reading James Baldwin's text, The Dangerous Road Before Martin Luther King. I had the typical image in my mind of Martin Luther King Jr. that I'm sure most of us have had most of our lives. We were taught about him early in school as a non-violent advocate and leader of equality for all races and also about his religious.
I often wonder, not just with MLK but with other famous figures, how much of their personas are correct. In his case, the main attributes I mentioned above, lead me to question how much of our early knowledge of MLK were part of the hidden curriculum of our schools. Yes, MLK stood for all of those things, but was it just a golden opportunity for our schools to push non-violence, and racial equality on us so that we might adopt them ourselves and make their lives much easier.
However, reading James Baldwin's essay made me realize that MLK truly was the way that everyone depicts him. It was a reassuring text to read. There is something about MLK's character that makes me feel like I want to change something. I can see how those who followed him were called to action by this man.
I also enjoyed how Baldwin writes about hearing MLK speak. Not trying to overuse the statement, but I can see how Barack Obama's speaking style mirrors that of MLK. The way that Baldwin says he feels hearing MLK speak and preach, I feel when I hear Obama talk. The inaugural address was very moving for me, and i can't say it had much to do with WHAT he said but more HOW he said it. He just is a speaker that can captivate his listener and evoke emotion, much the same way as I'm sure MLK did.