Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Dyson praises King’s ‘radical legacy,’ despite flaws

With Biblical references, hip-hop lyrics and inspirational words tumbling out of his mouth at lightning speed, Michael Eric Dyson’s speech honoring Martin Luther King Jr. on Tuesday night sounded more like poetry than a lecture.

“He was hated on in a major way,” Dyson said. “He was aiming straight at the heart of white supremacy. But he did so with love – he loved white folk so much he was willing to embrace them as brothers and sisters. Martin Luther King said we have to overcome with the fortitude of African culture. He was about integrating into the larger circle of American privilege.”

Dyson, a professor of religious studies at DePaul University, spoke to about 80 people about King’s “radical legacy” in a talk sponsored by For Members Only as part of Northwestern’s MLK Day celebration. During King’s career, he was reviled, admired and then nearly forgotten at the end of his life, Dyson said.

“He began to argue against the war in Vietnam,” said Dyson, who recently wrote a book on King’s life. “King saw the link between international oppression and local forms of apartheid in American society.”

The image of King that is honored today ignores both this radical side of him and his personal flaws, said Dyson, who urged an honest depiction of the civil rights leader. The picture Dyson painted of King was one that balanced his faults with his humanity and commitment to equality.

While it is important to acknowledge allegations of King’s sexual promiscuity and plagiarism in college, Dyson said, “King was broader, deeper and beyond his flaws and frailties. Martin Luther King had his faults, but he was a human being who always was willing to reach out to young people.”

Between rapid-fire recitations of hip-hop lyrics, Dyson compared King’s legacy to today’s hip-hop generation. Just as King was able to rise above his flaws to be truly inspiring, rap and hip-hop musicians today have the potential to convey a message deeper than materialism or misogyny, Dyson said.

The key to following King’s example is to be a “Trojan horse,” or someone who can represent the voices of those who also have struggled for equality. At any moment, a Trojan horse can burst open, speaking for the memories of activists, personal heroes and oppressed people, Dyson said.

“When you celebrate King, celebrate the ingenuity of radical spirit,” he said, encouraging the audience to link race to broader issues of discrimination such as sexism or sexual orientation.

Weinberg junior Jia Cobb said she liked the idea of speaking for the disadvantaged because it honors those who have made sacrifices for her.

“Regardless of where you come from, you remember who you’re indebted to,” Cobb said.

Eddie Davis, a Music junior, said he appreciated Dyson’s balanced view of King as an imperfect man who still was able to inspire and achieve.

“I really enjoyed the point that (Dyson) brought up about how we need to completely understand his actions,” Davis said. “(Dyson) did a good job of showing how King was accommodating but also uncompromising.”

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Dyson praises King’s ‘radical legacy,’ despite flaws