Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968), Nobel Peace Prize laureate and architect of the nonviolent civil rights movement, was among the twentieth century’s most influential figures. One of the greatest orators in US history, King also authored several books, including Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, and Why We Can’t Wait. His speeches, sermons, and writings are inspirational and timeless. King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.
Coretta Scott King (1927–2006), the wife of Martin Luther King, Jr., was an American author and human rights activist. She helped lead the civil rights movement after King’s assassination, carrying the message of nonviolence and the dream of a beloved community to many countries, and spearheading coalitions and foundations.
Civil rights activist Vincent Harding was a friend and colleague of King’s and worked with Coretta Scott King to establish the King Center in Atlanta, serving as its first director. A distinguished theologian and historian, he is the award-winning author of several books and lives in Denver, Colorado.
Clayborne Carson is the general editorial advisor to the King Legacy; he is the founding director of the King Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.