American History

Its not an easy job accusing one of the greatest civil rights activists the world has ever witnessed, and probably the most influential in recent history, of plagiarism.  During his lifetime accusations of plagiarisms would be tantamount to signing ones own death sentence, excusing the rhetoric, at the height of Kings popularity this was one very arduous task indeed. Theodore Pappas (Plagiarism and the Culture War), has focused on probably the most striking example of his plagiarism in his I have a Dream speech, he is said to have borrowed elements from another speech by a civil rights activist, Archibald Carey. We, Negro Americans, sing with all loyal Americans My country tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, Land of the Pilgrims pride from every mountainside Let freedom ring  The congruence to the ending of the I have a dream speech is unmistakable.

The word for word similarity that has been cited to adduce the claims of plagiarism cannot be ignored. The stature of Dr. Martin Luther King does not help one seeking to impartially evaluate the claims of plagiarism. But, in scholarly circles, this fact is now accepted widely. The significance of his plagiarism, however, is debatable.

The significance of Kings plagiarism is multi-faceted and multi-layered. Does it affect the importance and sincerity of his works Should it greatly change our understanding of King  On ethical grounds, plagiarism is unfair. Kings success at a White College, in how much it was propelled by borrowing other people works carries a derogatory regard with its relevance and supposed causative effect on his future success. This requires an answer to two pivotal questions, i) why and with what intentions did he plagiarise And ii) Does it strip away the integrity of his work

Reasons for plagiarising
According to research conducted into his work, Dr. King was aware of the proper practices of referencing and footnoting. This is made evident by how he uses them when he does, and by his knowledge of how papers are traditionally done at Boston University. His non-ignorance of the modus operandi is more than clear. Thus, he knew what he was doing. Plagiarism comes from the Latin word Plagiari which means to Kidnap.

The culture that king encountered at BU was one in which his style of writing, contrived form his years at Crozer and Morehouse, was rewarded with good grades. There was no reason to change the sermonic tradition imbibed in him and his personage which meant that his work, which has been described as exegesis, regurgitations and summary comparisons was perpetuated because it was accepted by the professors at BU.

A widely accepted view of Kings development had been based on his influential studies and experiences at the Boston University Theology School. This whole perspective which frames King as a prodigy of a student is discredited by his average practices through college which might not demote him below the ranks of the revolutionaries that he is classified with but might affect his position as a scholar in the reconstruction of theological-social thought.

King was set in his ideas. Although, purely speculative his stint at BU should be classified as an exercise in differentiation from your average Baptist and not a process of self discovery. So while he had coursework he did not always understand the point to, or agree with his method of going about his work seems like the logical conclusion of his ideologies. Likewise, it would be pure speculation to ascribe mal-intent to his averseness to referencing and footnoting. Why he plagiarised is a difficult question to answer, interviews with his wife bore no fruit as she could not shed light on anything but that she knew he copied off the works of other people. But academically, the only question I ask is why didnt he credit the real authors He definitely wouldnt have gotten the same response had he referenced his majestic language to be the words of someone else. The technology of the day outdates the facility of cross checking our papers across comprehensive archives we have today. In a purely cause and effect way, it really made no difference to anybody, rather it would have negatively affected the goals he was striving to achieve.

Does it affect the integrity of his work
According to the Boston committee report in September 1991, 45 of the first half and 21 of the second half of Kings thesis was plagiarised. This ensures his work still counts as an original contribution and his degree wasnt revoked. That covers the official aspect of things. The integrity of his work the speeches, sermons and the letters remains.

This is a controversial statement to make. The vein of modern scholarship ensures that any sort of unoriginality will not go unpunished and in the spirit of impartiality will not spare even the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But the realistic extent of these issues is quick to disintegrate in the face of the undeniable affects they have had in their fields. T.S. Elliot for example plagiarised a major part of his work the Waste Lands from a selection of quotes of a fairly unknown Madison Cawien, He is still considered one of the most talented poets of the English language (Lewis, 1991).

Most of Kings work likewise was geared towards a goal. He made unprecedented leaps with the Civil Rights movement and till date is taught in schools and colleges as coursework and readings.

His thesis at Boston University it is said was copied off an unpublished dissertation of a fellow theology student, Jack Boozer. The void of accreditation, definitely rebukes the integrity of Kings college work.

But the integrity of his later works, his diaries, his speeches, sermons and spearheading a historical movement remain. The speeches which resonate on many nodes and antinodes with those of other people in the past and word for word similarity, for all ends and purposes do not take away from his work. Their effect will remain, in retrospect however many college teachers will now have problems conscientiously teaching Kings work to.

The cult of worship in schools is not something very enlightened to begin with. There should be an element of critical thought included. His work was plagiarised Maybe, does it make them any less important No.

The significance of kings plagiarism
There are problems regarding the way historians have given the matter much more attention than it deserves. But these problems were initiated because of the way earlier historians idolised the rise of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the fill of their imaginations to the extent that it can be called creating a cult which deifies the man who worked courageously and heroically for the rights of African Americans in America. He was a student not unlike any other when he was in college, and later on his success with the civil rights movement turned him into the historical figure that he is today. The borrowed words and college practices are nothing but part of the stereotypical devil advocates of a reactionary movement which are common in history.

The letters that Mother Theresa wrote, that were published in reputed international magazines in which she detailed her crisis of faith are another example in the sense that they will not take away from the accomplishments and  the faith that she instilled in others.  Similarly the significance of Martin Luther King Jrs plagiarism lies in the faulty ways earlier generation critiqued him, setting up on a pedestal, which made the world believe he is not capable of such failures of intellect andor character. It is very difficult indeed to take anything away from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s accomplishments.

Trying to understand the causatives or thoughts that went through his mind and brought this about is filled with caveats. Did he plagiarise, according to our modern definition of the word, yes. It is more than obvious today through the work of the MLK papers foundation.

Martin Luther King, the student was not the founder of the civil rights movement. Martin Luther king, man with the new found faith, was the person who found the civil rights movement. His speeches are images of the ideas he imbibed in millions of people, and engendered a generation. The affect he has had on the landscape of America and Africans all around the globe is deeply engraved into the passage of time and forms an integral part of the continuum of reconstruction of thought for Americans.

In light of the plagiarism, we have a chance to form a truthful appreciation of this historic personage. The movement made Martin (Ella Baker), and Martin moved a nation.