School Library Journal Review

Gr 7 UpRather than a traditional biographical retelling of his life, the video focuses on those influences and elements in Kings life that shaped his actions and his enduring legacy. Moving from his relatively affluent and secure Atlanta childhood, Martin Luther King, Jr. rebelled against Papas plans for him to attend a conservative theological seminary in the South. Going to a liberal seminary in the North, King encountered culture shock with his first exposure to liberal theology and life in an integrated society. He rebelled again by marrying Coretta Scott whose family had no connections to the black Atlanta establishment. Returning to Atlanta to take up his duties as a Baptist preacher, he was drafted as the reluctant but committed spokesman for the Birmingham Bus Boycott. The success of this protest propelled him into the national spotlight and galvanized his determination to focus on non-violence as the vehicle for social change. Using well-selected news clips and interviews with his friends, Martin Luther King, Jr. emerges as an inspired leader who wrestled with and overcame his self-doubts and human weaknesses. The narration by Jack Perkins is smoothly paced and accessible. Background music and visuals are, like the subject of the video, alternatively inspiring, brooding, and sometimes disquieting. While this biography does omit some details about Kings life, it does an excellent job of highlighting his work and recording his legacy. It is well-suited for class presentations leading to group discussions.Patricia J. Fontes, Sarah W. Gibbons Middle School, Westborough, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.