Behind the Public Veil: The Humanness of Martin Luther King Jr.

By Lewis V. Baldwin

What was Martin Luther King Jr. really like? In this groundbreaking volume, Lewis V. Baldwin answers this question by focusing on the man himself. Drawing on the testimonies of friends, family, and closest associates, this volume adds much-needed biographical background to the discussion, as Baldwin looks beyond all of the mythic, messianic, and iconic images to treat King in terms of his fundamental and vivid humanness. Special attention is devoted to King’s personal insecurities and struggles, his humility and affinity to common people, his delight in pleasant and passionate conversation, his insatiable love for the precious but ordinary things of life, his robust appetite for artfully-prepared and delicious soul food, his enduring appreciation for music and dance, his cheerful and playful attitude and spirit, his abiding interest in games and sports, and his amazing gift of wit, humor, and laughter. King emerges here as an ordinary human being who enjoyed and celebrated life to the fullest, but was never bigger than life. Here we see the personal qualities of King—as a real, fleshly human being—and also as a man shaped by his social and cultural experiences and locations. This book reclaims the man behind the mythology.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Release date: Jun 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9781506405629

Lewis V. Baldwin

Lewis V. Baldwin is a native of Alabama and received his B.A. in history from Talladega College. He then received an M.A. degree in Black Church Studies followed by a M.Div. degree in Theology at Colgate-Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York. In 1980 Dr. Baldwin earned a Ph.D. degree in American Christianity from Northwestern University. He has taught at Wooster College in Ohio, Colgate University in New York, Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, and currently is Professor Emeritus in Religious Studies at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Baldwin is the author of over sixty articles and several books. He and his wife live in Nashville, Tennessee.

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