America in the King Years

Winter walks in Boston don’t often last long—10-15 minutes tops. So, when it’s time to take the dog outside, I typically throw in my headphones under my beanie and prepare myself to endure the frigid temperatures. This can at times be a cumbersome process—putting on layers of clothes, slipping on wool socks, and tying a scarf around my neck. But it is, of course, necessary, and my experience has been the whole ordeal is much more tolerable when you accompany yourself with a good audiobook—something to look forward to. This past winter, my audiobook of choice was Taylor Branch’s extensive trilogy on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

America in the King Years delves into the rise of a young preacher navigating the American South first as an up-and-coming pastor and eventual civil rights leader. King helped found a group called the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The SCLC quickly grew as more and more black-led churches rallied around the group and its cause. Branch’s trilogy may be based around its protagonist, but it’s the supporting cast that he really shines a new light on for the reader. At least, that was my experience as I trudged across the sidewalks of Boston with my dog—the same city King became familiar with while pursuing his doctorate in theology. What I learned during my short walks, more than anything else, was how much King’s allies challenged him to be a better leader. How much figures such as Rep. John Lewis encouraged and pressured King to step into his purpose of ushering this growing movement. King stood on the shoulders of those that came before him, and others since have stood on King’s. They have pushed forward in pursuit of that same dream he spoke of so eloquently in Washington.

I would recommend this trilogy to anyone, but especially those trying to understand how the consequential decade of the ’60s impacts our society today. Branch’s writing makes you consider what has changed since the King years and what remains the same. Branch paints a well-rounded portrait of King, both his achievements and his flaws. Making for both an interesting and informative read.

Sources:

Branch, Taylor. Parting the Waters: 1954-1963. Simon & Schuster, 1988.

Branch, Taylor. Pillar of Fire: 1963-1965. Simon & Schuster, 1998.

Branch, Taylor. At Canaan’s Edge: 1965-1968. Simon & Schuster, 2006.