First published 2006
Martin Luther King Jr. stands at the center of a movement threatening to tear itself apart. The years 1963 to 1965 bring the civil rights struggle to its peak, but King faces enemies on all sides. Blackmailers threaten to destroy his reputation. Fellow activists question his methods. Opponents mobilize to crush his dream of equality. From the assassination in Dallas to the bloody confrontations in Selma, King must hold together a fractured coalition while the nation watches. His allies and rivals debate what equality truly means as violence erupts across the South. The movement that began in black churches now commands international attention, but internal divisions grow deeper. King struggles to maintain his commitment to nonviolence as followers demand more aggressive action. The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 brings victory, yet greater challenges emerge. As the Vietnam War escalates and LBJ's Great Society takes shape, King must choose between competing visions of justice while personal attacks intensify.
Genres: civil-war, historical-fiction, 20th-century, political-thriller, african-american-historical-fiction, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Selma, South
Period: 1963-1965
Audio CD · Simon & Schuster Audio
Content warnings: violence