King, Martin Luther, Jr.

1929–1968

Civil Rights Leader

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, contributions to African-American constructions of masculinity are often minimized by comparison with his black-nationalist counterparts, whose notions of masculinity were central to their program of liberation. King did, however, offer a vision of black manhood that challenged traditional ideas of black masculinity and affirmed the black man's role as leader.

Well-educated and highly articulate, Martin Luther King, Jr., based his leadership of the civil rights movement on an ideal of African-American manhood grounded in passionate spirituality, inward morality, decisive nonviolent action, and commitment to the pursuit of racial and social justice. (© Bettmann/Corbis)

A pastor's son, King developed a passion for religion and social justice that he believed was best exercised from the pulpit. He received a Ph.D. in theology from ...