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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 2011)
M lì Page 4 0 a r t in L uther K in g J r . January 12, 2011 v) 2011 s p e c ia l ed itio n The Autobiography of Dr, Martin Luther King Jr, Today Americans celebrate Dr. King’s life and legacy. Ob served as a federal holiday since 1983- Martin Luther King Jr. Day was re-framed as a na tional day of service in 1994- it wasn’t until 2(XX) that every state officially recognized the holiday. There are few Americans as well-known or oft-quoted as Dr. King, yet many of us have read or heard relatively little from the man himself. The Autobiogra phy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a great place to start. Because Dr. King never had the opportunity to write his mem oirs, this substantial book has been e d ite d by C la y b o rn e Carson, the immensely qualified Stanford University history pro fessor. Carson is the editor of the d e fin itiv e K ing P apers Project, including the audio ver- "E x iv p tio n jlly »uct'c»*lul. illu in iiu lc s (lie u ite lin n u l u tid rrp iu iiin g t o f King’» courage.” — Ihr Vcw Vorirer TH E A U T O B IO G R A P H Y OF M ARTI N LU TH ER K IN G ,J R . E D IT E D Coach Nate McMillan KING JR. “ Martin Luther King Jr. was all about opportunity and equal rights for all people. We’re starting to see changes in our country, but there is work to be done as far as communication and people’s voices being heard. That is what his message was all about, that everyone would have an opportunity to make it in this world.” - TRAIL BLAZERS COACH NATE McMILLAN make It better To learn more about how you can m ake it b etter together with the Trail Blazers visit trailb lazers.co m /m a keitb etter Take Action Get Tested ............. ... —. , __________________________________________ Multnomah County Health Department's HIV Community Test Site offers confidential HIV testing with or without your name at these locations: Downtown Community Test Site j Call 503.988.3775 for an appt. Mon I Thurs | Fri | 426 SW Stark St., 6th Floor, | Portland, 97204 j “Free with this coupon Public Health 55 Northeast Health Center Just walk in ! j I Tuesdays | 5:30 - 7:15 pm 5329 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, 2nd Floor, | Portland, 97211 | __Se habla español: other interpretation by appointment. BY C L A Y B O R N E C A R S O N sion of A Call to Conscience: The L andm ark S peeches o f Martin Luther King, Jr., a wor thy addition to your mp3 player. From his years of research Dr. Carson is able to edit a first- person narrative that traces the arc of Dr. King’s childhood, pas torate, family life, and leadership within the civil rights movement. This last theme receives the most attention and sheds considerable light on the context- historical, cultural, and theological- of those days. The well-known events which have been flattened and simplified over time are shown in The Autobiography to have been incredibly complex, nu- anced, and without guarantee of success. This book gives us the chance to see the very human Martin King. Rather than editing a hagiography, Carson has in cluded the poignant moments when Dr. King experienced fear, doubt and confusion. Great speeches and prophetic corre spondence are interspersed with Dr. King’s deep concern for the safety of his family and emo- tional toll from living a very pub lic life. Readers will also appreciate the theology and rooted con viction that em erge from these pages. Dr. K ing’s iconic sta tus means his words are often lifted and co-opted for a vari ety of purposes, resulting in a man bound neither by time nor s p e c if ic b e lie f . S u ch an ahistorical view ignores the fact that Dr. K ing’s vision and lead ership cam e from som ew here. Carson captures a man who w restled in tensely w ith his C hristian theology in order to give philosophical and struc tural underpinnings to a free dom m ovem ent that would be assailed from all sides. In the end. Dr. King saw the d e a th and r e s u r re c tio n o f Jesus, “that great event on C alvary,’’ as the hope for genu ine reconciliation and justice, the foundation for “the beloved com m unity.” The A utobiog raphy makes clear that one of A m erica's greatest preachers and leaders still has much to teach us today. Advertise with diversity in Portland Observer C all 5 0 3 -288-0033 ads @ port landob s e r v e r . c o m
