Martin Luther King Jr.’s Opposition to the War in Vietnam

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and in moments of comfort, but where he stands in moments of challenge and moments of controversy” (Martin Luther King Jr.). The purpose of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Opposition to the War in Vietnam is to investigate and describe King’s involvement within the Vietnam War and the critical responses that followed. His speaking out against the conflict was not spontaneous; he deliberated two years before doing so. As early as 1965, he made mention of the war, but because of criticisms from senior officials in the civil rights movement, he postponed his efforts. However, on April 4, 1967, he gave his “Beyond Vietnam” speech, which outlined his position on the war. Criticisms were many and severe, ranging from some of his closest associates to that of the Johnson administration. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Opposition to the War in Vietnam is the first published book that deals solely with King’s involvement within the Vietnam crisis.