Has the memory of Martin Luther King been airbrushed?

Yesterday was Martin Luther King day in the US, a day that celebrates the courage and achievements of this amazing man who galvinised people, black and white, to change American history.

Interestingly, however, a growing number of US activists believe the memory of Martin Luther King has been sanitised and are behind the #ReclaimMLK day hashtag.

"Somewhere between his assassination and today began an MLK-neutering campaign meant to turn the famed agitator's holiday into a national Day of Service, a generic mishmash of good feelings that contorts King's social-justice legacy into a blissful ‘Hallmark card’ of post-racial nothingness," writes Danielle C Belton on the Root.

Those using the #ReclaimMLK day tag want direct action to end racism in the US. Bassem Masri, who demonstrated in Ferguson, Missouri, tweeted, "#MLK was arrested 30 times during the civil rights movement, true patriot who was unafraid of the system he battled it head on #ReclaimMLK."

While some are using the hashtag to get people on to the streets, others are using it to share facts about Dr King's life that challenge his ‘sanitised’ image.

"Let's not try to pacify his radicalness and for now on speak truth about his legacy. Uncompromising. Radical. Strategic." wrote Dante Barry.

"#ReclaimMLK Rev Dr Martin Luther King was a revolutionary. He rejected the (racist) status quo & made white people feel uncomfortable," wrote DNLee, from New York.

So where does the portrayal of King in the film Selma place him? As an anti-establishment radical who struck fear through the racist establishment in the 1960s, supported direct action and confronted state and nation law enforcement forces, or as the charismatic, measured intellect who, with right on his side, was the good guy then and is the good guy now?

How will posterity judge some of Martin Luther King’s protégés, for example the Rev Al Sharpton who is speaking at 'OBV: Our time, Our success' in London on Saturday. In recent months he’s been at the forefront of high profile campaigns and outrage at the killings of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Tamir Rice.

Rev Sharpton will cover these and many other issues including the potential political power that connects Black America to Black Britain and Black Europe at this event which takes place at Westminster University at 12 noon on Saturday.

If you would like to attend, send your full name and email address to: ashok@obv.org.uk and the full details of venue & itinerary will be sent to you.

Paul Hensby