“Genius. This extraordinary issue reminds us that Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of America’s most radical philosophers. Forget the dream, he called for a revolution in values that stood in stark contrast with the nightmare of neoliberalism, permanent war, and state-sanctioned violence. These essays will inspire a new generation to return to the source.”

—Robin D. G. Kelley

April 4, 2018, marked the fiftieth anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s death. This collection grapples with his enduring legacy. Though he is widely celebrated as a national hero—martyr to an inspiring dream about our country’s largest possibilities—many younger Americans now greet his name with suspicion, viewing him as an essentially conservative figure. These essays offer critical engagement in place of canonization, recovering—and scrutinizing—the profoundly radical nature of King’s political, moral, and religious thought.

Contributors: Brandon M. Terry leads a forum with Barbara Ransby, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Andrew Douglas, Jeanne Theoharis, Elizabeth Hinton, and Bernard E. Harcourt, plus essays by Ed Pavlić, Aziz Rana, Samuel Moyn, Christian G. Appy, and Thad Williamson.