These individuals may use King’s speeches and writings to promote a false narrative of “colorblindness” and the idea that racism is no longer a significant problem in American society. Textbooks take an oversimplified approach to his work, public references focus all-too-often on a small number of his quotes, and his words in general have been co-opted by those who seek to downplay the ongoing issues of racism and discrimination in the United States. While much of the progress we’ve seen in the way Americans perceive King comes from a place of genuine cultural change and understanding - there’s no denying that the image of King has been distorted over time to make his bold, radical message more “palatable.” The final Gallup poll to ask about his popularity during his lifetime - in 1966 - found his unfavorable rating to be 63%. While it’s compelling that King is seen largely positively in 2022, public opinion of him was incredibly negative during his lifetime. We learn about King in school, we celebrate MLK Day every year, and we hear no shortage of references to the late activist in media and culture.Īccording to a CBS poll, 95% of Americans say King was an important figure in American history - and according to a poll from YouGov, 89% of Americans have a positive view of King. was a prominent civil rights leader who is best known for his advocacy for racial equality and his effort to gain economic justice for poor people - and his use of nonviolent resistance to achieve social change.
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