What History Gets Wrong About Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | Pulitzer Prize Author Jonathan Eig 🎙

The Bookum Nook Show

In this exclusive interview, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jonathan Eig joins us to discuss his groundbreaking biography, King: A Life.
We dive deep into the real Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—his struggles, triumphs, and the misconceptions that history has perpetuated.
📌 Timestamps:
1:04 - MLK Day in 2025
2:34 - Montgomery Bus Boycott
4:03 - MLK Sr.’s Influence on MLK Jr.
5:38 - Sweet Auburn Ave. Black Affluent Neighborhood
8:02 - MLK’s Mentors & Influences
10:25 - Coretta Scott King’s Role
12:12 - Building the Organization
14:02 - Humanizing Dr. King
18:25 - How the Movement Evolved
19:50 - What Modern Movements Can Learn from the Civil Rights Movement
21:20 - President Kennedy, RFK, LBJ and FBI Surveillance
23:20 - The Mental Pressure on MLK
26:10 - MLK’s Infidelity & FBI Surveillance
27:40 - FBI tapes released on MLK
28:55 - Selma
31:20 - Losing the Confidence of Younger Activists
33:00 - Religion and Global Impact of King
34:30 - "I Have a Dream" Speech & Legacy
37:10 - Interview People That Knew MLK Jr.
38:55 - The Pressure of Writing the Book
42:40 - Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community?
📖 About the Book: King: A Life is the first major biography of MLK in decades, offering a deeply human portrayal of the man behind the legend.
Get your copy here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374719678/kingalife/
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Twitter: @jonathaneig - https://x.com/jonathaneig
Instagram: @jonathaneig - https://www.instagram.com/joneig/

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