Martin Luther King plagiarised half of his doctoral dissertation!

...and a variety of other works, including his "I have a dream" speech. Apparently it started when he was 15 years of age. All is alleged in this article profiling a book written by Theodore Pappas.

Cheers,

George

 

Have you just discovered this, George? These matters have been discussed and debated in academia and elsewhere for more than 20 years. As with many controversial topics, it is not a simple matter. Pappas is a darling of the far right, and has written about how plagiarism by "thugs" (his word) like Dr. King, are the logical outcome of permissive parenting, liberal social values, and the capturing of universities by left wingers.

Of course King had more than a few faults. And more than a few virtues. My wife teaches that his letter from Birmingham Jail is one of the most important things written in the 20th century.
http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu/~hst306/documents/letter.html

 

Yes John, only saw it now. I have been on this earth for 36 years, and only interested in academia for the last 6. So, I guess I have a lot to catch up on.

Cheers,

George

 

I'm not an expert on Pappas, but my bet is that the context of the word "thugs" was as in "intellectual thugs", those who rob others of their ideas.

King was a complex man no doubt. He struggled mightily with being true to his wife--so they say--as well as being true to his scholarly calling--that one's not much in doubt anymore--but we all have struggles.

There's no doubt that on the whole, the man gave more to this country and the world than he took.

 

This is true and the proper perspective, IMHO, especially since he was martered. I think most would agree with us because afterall we have a national holiday honoring the good things that he did.

It was still deceitful, dastardly and dishonest to submit the dissertation as his own work.

 

What has always irritated me about MLK Day is that there is another, greater American far more deserving of a national holiday. I refer to the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Personal ethics beyond reproach. Genuine intellectual capacity. A lifetime of dedication to the cause of Civil Rights for all Americans.

Justice Marshall accomplished FAR MORE of lasting importance in his quieter career than the Reverend Dr. King could've dreamt about for all his marches and rallies.

This is not to say, however, that Dr. King's efforts did nothing to create a climate where Mr. Marshall could do his work.

So one of these days, after I retire, I may start a modest nonprofit foundation whose goal will be to renamed MLK Day to honor BOTH men for their contributions to American Freedom and Justice.

 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was the greatest civil rights leader in the history of the country. There is no one, no one, who can equal him today.

Jackson and Sharpton try but they are about as morally and ethically corrupt as they come. The closest to King are not individuals, but an organization, CORE.

Sure King had some problems. Show me any great leader that was perfect. As far as the plagiarism charge, can anyone truly say any great speech doesn't contain elements from prior works?

No, there just aren't that many original ideas around today nor in the history of speeches. By the way, the best speech ever given, in my opinion, was Pericles' Funeral Oration.

It will be a long, long time before anyone comes on the civil rights scene who can equal the great MLK, Jr.!

 

Jimmy,

I agree totally. Along with FDR and Tip O'Neill, he is one of my heroes. His Letter From a Birmingham Jail is an amazing piece. I was awestruck when I first read it. Intellect such as that comes along once in a lifetime.

 

It's all true.

The way I look at it is that Reverend King is more of a symbol that represents non-violent social change for the good of all. The accomplishments made in that generation required far more than one or two great men. It took millions of people. King was martyred so he gets the honor of having the day named after him but, it is really a celebration/rememberance of how we can improve our society/culture.

 

Perhaps when people go accusing Dr. King of plagiarizing his dissertation, they could maybe back it up with evidence, such as (subject to making appropriate arrangements with copyright holders) maybe creating a website showing side-by-side comparisons of King's dissertation or the "I Have a Dream" speech and the "plagiarized" work so that we can all see for ourselves. At any rate a man is presumed innocent until proven guilty, perhaps because it is easier to prove that something EXISTS (in this case, plagiarism) than it is to prove that something DOES NOT EXIST. I would be incredibly disillusioned if it were true, maybe it is and maybe not. Just that I refuse to pass judgement without seeing the smoking gun with my own two eyes. Well, I've never been to Missouri, but as they say in Missouri, "Show me."

 

And right she is. It still has the power to bring a tear to the eye.

I agree with you, completely. By the way... will your foundation be suggesting that cities not necessarily put streets named after them in the worst parts of town, too? [grin]

I agree as to his greatness, generally... but there were others. Many others.

Ummm... I dunno. I'm not saying that equalling him isn't a damned tall order. I get (and agree with) that. But as the times have changed, so has the nature of the battle, the soldiers who fight it, and the tools and strategies they employ. As America has become more jaded about the subject of civil rights, those tireless in the fray have become lower in profile, perhaps... but no less great.

Mygod, Jimmy... what an irresponsible statement! I don't even know where to begin with something like that. [shakes head in disbelief]

An organization some blacks refer to, pejoratively, as "COREO" for reasons that should be obvious. And how surprising it isn't that CORE meets with the approval of a conservative Christian such as yourself... what with its support of the Janis Rogers Brown nomination and all. If Martin Luther King were alive today, you're suggesting he'd be a black Republican? I don't think so!

King -- an apparent plagiarist and womanizer, as has been so clearly pointed-out in this thread -- earns your willingness to overlook his sinfulness, but Jackson and Sharpton do not? That's not even explainable, much less defensible.

Well put.

Also well put.

King was an amazing, deeply spiritual, truly gifted leader. The world would be a much different -- and, I dare say, worse -- place had he not lived, worked and died upon it. We are better for his having lived and done the work he did. We are reminded of his contribution by the holiday in his honor and the streets, parks, schools and other things named after him. He is missed, and one wonders what he would be doing, and on what he would be working today, had he lived. But, alas, it was not meant for him to live. Like an intense flame which burns its fuel at twice or three times its intended rate, the brightness of King's flame was necessary, given the times. The Holy Spirit moved through him for as long as it was needed, and then he was gone... his work and message honored and remembered more thereafter because of its short life.

If he plagiarized parts of his dissertation beyond the academic equivalent of what copyright law calls "fair use," then, yes, that's bad. But it didn't seem to slow him down any; or take away from the rightness and goodness of his accomplishments; or make the world love him any less, or inhibit its desire to honor him after his death for all time. We humans tend to assess our martyrs on the whole, all things considered. On that basis, King is deserving, regardless.

 

Oh, how Americans squirm when a political hero isn't a saint. Yup, Junior plagiarised huge chunks of his dissertation; demonstrated long since. Does this detract from his political accomplishments? No. Not at all. Repeat: no, not at all.

But don't let's make him an intellectual hero. Intellectual heroes don't plagiarise.

Vide: Madiba working on degrees from Robben Island, for crying out loud.
And plagiarised nothing.

Vide: Martin Luther King Sr (a far better preacher than MLK Jr) toughing his way through Morehouse when he wasn't light enough to suit anybody there.
And plagiarised nothing.

Vide: Adam Clayton Powell Jr (an ***infinitely*** better public speaker than MLK Jr--and also no saint). Adam did lots of um stuff,
but plagiarised nothing.

Vide: the magnificent Frank Snowden, greatest African-American classical philologist of the twentieth century, gofer for WEB DuBois as a young man, an utter paragon of total academic integrity, who struck down cant and blather with terrifying mien and utterance, making patronising Caucasians and agitproper Afrocentrists squirm in incestuous tandem.
And plagiarised nothing.

One needn't be a plagiarist to be a hero of human rights. But a plagiarist, however much a political hero, is no educational hero. Not now, not ever.

And his daddy was the better man.

 

I often think about FDR's idea of leadership...find a parade and walk in front!

 

Re: Re: Martin Luther King plagiarised half of his doctoral dissertation!

The proof, evidence is covered at length in Plagiarism and the Culture War: The Writings of Martin Luther King Jr. and Other Prominent Americans. Theodore Pappas, provides the side by side comparison you mention.

As for Pappas only being a voice of the right, I think is incorrect. Remove MLK name from the act, and anyone else would have their PhD removed. Plagiarism is wrong, no matter who did it.

The immediate argument that "It must be a racist" is pathetic and weak. As many have posted, MLK's contributions have been immeasureable, yet that doesn't alter the fact that he copied large parts of his dissertation, nor had many affairs with other woman. He never claimed to be a saint, yet many people today refer to him as a saint, and anything less must be the work of racists.

 

Oh Michael, FDR and Tip O'Neil? No way! FDR was a hypocrite who, as NY Governor, thwarted Hoover's agenda, after having tried to encourage him to run for President as a Democrat.

O'Neill, along with his buddy, Teddy Kennedy, thwarted most of Jimmy Carter's agenda.

Sorry, my friend, I cannot agree with you on these. Take care!

 

Re: Re: Martin Luther King plagiarised half of his doctoral dissertation!

Boston University (the school that awarded the degree) conducted an investigation, and found that King plagiarized between 1/4 and 1/3 of his dissertation. Trying to ignore the elephant in the living room isn't going to work in this case.

If you want to ask them yourself;

Boston University
School of Theology
745 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
617-353-3050

 

Geez, you yanks get really excited over this sorta stuff, don't ya?

Sorry to have opened a hornets nest - still, it's entertaining for Frenchy and I to watch.

Cheers,

George

 

On finding that King had plagiarised almost 1/3rd of his thesis, did Boston University withdraw his degree?

And if not, does that mean that this is quite acceptable at that university?

 

They did not, stating "that would serve no useful purpose", or something like that.

 

No useful purpose! I would have thought one useful purpose would be to discourage future students doing the same!