7 Reads To Commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

In this incredibly prescient volume, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lays out his thoughts and plans for America’s future—higher wages for better jobs, affordable housing and quality education for all. Written in 1967, his final manuscript is hopeful and King’s plan to eradicate human suffering through the use of technology will resonate with readers today.

Recently re-released in celebration of the children’s book’s 40th anniversary, Mildred D. Taylor’s story about a family in Mississippi at the height of the Depression remains a classic. The book truly belongs to main character Cassie Logan, a young girl who learns to love herself, despite the cutting racism she and her family are shown by others in their town.

Journalist Marshall Frady became the unofficial chronicler of the civil rights movement, so watched Martin Luther King, Jr. in his quest for equality in real time. This biography spins the turbulent tale of his life, intertwined with insights into his charismatic character and his relationships with other leaders of the time.

Congressman and Civil Rights leader John Lewis shares his memories of those early days of a nascent Civil Rights movement—his first meeting with Dr. King, the marches, the sit-ins, the Freedom Riders—are all given life through illustrations by graphic novelist Nate Powell. Lewis’s acts of nonviolent protest are heroic, especially when viewed in this medium.

This collection ranges from an early 1961 interview in which King describes his reasons for joining the ministry (after considering medicine), to a 1964 conversation with Robert Penn Warren, to his last interview, which was conducted on stage at the convention of the Rabbinical Assembly, just ten days before King’s assassination. A poignant and moving read.

This autobiography tells the story of a young woman name Anne Moody who came of age in Mississippi during the forties and fifties—the racist society she grew up in, and the courage it took to survive with her pride intact. A moving account of one woman’s experience in the rural south that is helpful to reflect on what MLK Jr. was fighting to overcome.

Justyce McAllister is a good kid in a predominantly white school and he just doesn’t feel like he fits in. He starts a journal inspired by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in order to cope with his surroundings. But when Jus is the wrong place at the wrong time and gunfire is exchanged with a white cop, he’ll need Dr. King’s wisdom more than ever.