Tavis Smiley On The Forgotten, Radical Politics Of Martin Luther King Jr.

Last November I interviewed talk show host, author, and political commentator Tavis Smiley on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. While Smiley's show, and the touring production he was promoting, were cancelled soon after the release of this interview, his thoughts on King and current racism in the U.S. remain important and relevant. I've also drawn connections between King's lesser-known positions and our politics of today, and you can find the full article on Rantt Media.

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Tavis Smiley and pianist Marcus Roberts

Martin Luther King Jr. is such a well-known figure, yet people continue to study and examine his life and legacy. What was something new or surprising you learned during your research for your book and this production that you hadn’t previously known?

I think most folk would be surprised to learn that, had he not been killed in Memphis on a Thursday evening and made it back to his Atlanta church for Sunday morning, the sermon he intended to preach was entitled, “Why America May Go To Hell.” Mind you, he did not condemn or consign America to hell but was boldly declaring that if we didn’t get serious about the triple threat facing our nation, we would simply lose our democracy. The triple threat? Racism, poverty, and militarism.