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The Political Philosophy Of Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks in front of the United Nations during a peace parade in New York on April 15, 1967. (AP)
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks in front of the United Nations during a peace parade in New York on April 15, 1967. (AP)

Dr. King's intellect and the specifics of his radical politics often go unexamined when celebrating his legacy.  A new essay collection — "To Shape A New World: Essays on the Political Philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr." — presents a full analysis of King’s work and recasts him as the radical thinker that he was.

His political and economic ideas are clear in his speeches against the Vietnam War and his call to work toward economic equality. But his radicalism can also be found in some of his most well-known writings, like the "Letter From A Birmingham Jail" (listen to a full recording of King reading the letter here).

"To Shape A New World: The Essays on the Political Philosphy of Martin Luther King, Jr." is available for preorder here.

Guests

Tommie Shelby, Caldwell Titcomb Professor at Harvard University and editor of "To Shape A New World." He tweets @tommie_shelby.

Brandon Terry, assistant professor at Harvard University and editor of "To Shape A New World." He tweets @brandonmterry.

This segment aired on January 15, 2018.

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