Behind the Dream: Researching Dr. King with Online Resources at NYPL
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. waving to the crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington, 1963. NYPL Digital Collections: Image ID: psnypl_scg_692
On August 28, 1963 at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.delivered a speech that made headlines in many major newspapers, and continued to serve as inspiration for future generations. For anyone interested in learning more about the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The New York Public Library has put together this list of unique online resources that patrons can use to go behind the dream.
Historical Newspapers
Follow Dr. King's rise as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement, read the reactions to his now iconic speech, and study his impact on contemporary events by accessing digitized and full text historical newspapers. Patrons can research the specific reaction and coverage to Dr. King's speech by the African American community by viewing papers in the ProQuest Historical African American Newspapers database or the African American Newspapers, 1827-1998 (Readex)* database. With these online resources not only can you read African American newspapers from major cities such as, The Chicago Defender and The Amsterdam News, but hundreds of regional newspapers as well.
For a broader view, explore ProQuest Historical Newspapers* or America's Historical Newspapers*.
"Thousands Marching for Freedom Today!" Chicago Daily Defender, Aug 28 1963. From the ProQuest African American Historical Newspapers database.
"'I have a Dream ...'." New York Times, Aug 29 1963. From the New York Times database.
Independent Press
The Civil Rights and Black Power Movements spurred a rise in independent newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, and other periodicals. The African American Periodicals* database provides access to hundreds of these hard to find titles, such as The Black Worker and The Student Voice.
"Leaders Rail President Kennedy For Issuing Executive Housing Order" The Black Worker, Jan 1, 1963. From the African American Periodicals database.
NAACP Papers
By searching the nearly 2 million pages accessible through the NAACP Papers database, NYPL patrons can read personal correspondence by Dr. King, as well as legal records and responses to tragic events, such as the bombing of Dr. King's home.
Excerpt from letter re: bombing of Dr. King's home, available in the NAACP papers database.
ACLU American Civil Liberties Union Papers 1912-1995
The ACLU American Civil Liberties Union Papers 1912-1995 database provides access to an extensive and rare collection of papers that covers all of the major legislative and legal activities of the Civil Rights Movement. This archival collection provides a unique glimpse into Dr. King's relationship with the ACLU. Patrons can access letters to Dr. King regarding police brutality as well as documents regarding his assassination.
Illegal Police Practices: King, Martin Luther and Abernathy-Birmingham, Alabama. 1958. Available from the ACLU Papers database.
Government Surveillance
Along with many other leaders, artists, and activists who were part of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was under heavy surveillance by the U.S. government. Now, many of these files are released to the public and are accessible through databases available to patrons from the New York Public Library. In the U.S. Declassified Documents Online database researchers can access declassified FBI and CIA files gathered on Dr. King. Also, take time to investigate the Digital National Security Archive* database, which provides access to more recently declassified top secret government files on Dr. King.
Excerpt of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) report on the position of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Communist Party. Available from the U.S. Declassified Documents Online database.
All the information in this blog post about Dr. King was researched entirely using NYPL's electronic resources, and there are hundreds of documents to explore. With more than 500 online research options available, many accessible from home with a library card, we challenge you to go beyond the search engine and dig deeper online with NYPL.
*This database is available onsite at New York Public Library locations, including on your own device. Find your nearest library.
Resources
United States Central, Intelligence A. The President's Daily Brief South Vietnam; France-Israel; Egypt-Jordan; West Berlin; Poland; Turkey; Rhodesia; Netherlands; Includes Special Daily Report on North Vietnam, 1968. ProQuest, Digital National Security Archive.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) report on the position of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Communist Party, USA on U.S. policy toward Vietnam. Federal Bureau Of Investigation, 7 July 1965. U.S. Declassified Documents Online.
"'I have a Dream ...'." New York Times (1923-Current file), Aug 29 1963, p. 1. ProQuest. Web. 23 Aug. 2018 .
Illegal Police Practices: King, Martin Luther and Abernathy-Birmingham, Alabama. 1958. TS Years of Expansion, 1950-1990: Series 3: Subject Files: Due Process of Law, 1938-1988 Box 1074, Folder 42, Item 167. Mudd Library, Princeton University. American Civil Liberties Union Papers, 1912-1990.
"Martin Luther King Jr. correspondence, including bus boycotts, bombing of King 's home, King 's arrest and attempted assassination, demonstrations by Alabama State College students, transcript of King 's 1960 appearance on Meet the Press, and Nobel Peace Prize." NAACP Papers database.
"Martin Luther King Jr. at March on Washington." American History, ABC-CLIO, 2018, americanhistory.
"Thousands Marching for Freedom Today!" Chicago Daily Defender (Daily Edition) (1960-1973), Aug 28 1963, p. 3. ProQuest. Web. 23 Aug. 2018 .