Jonathan Eig has spent seven years traveling the country to record stories of Martin Luther King Jr. At the beginning of the lecture, Eig reminded the audience who King was to the world. He then posed the question, “Does anyone know about Mike?” This simple question led to Eig’s seven-year research project on King.
Elon University marked its 39th annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in McCrary Theatre, filled with students and guests eager to honor the civil rights hero.
Eig — author of “King: A Life” — delivered a lecture that shed light on King's complexities and struggles, including often overlooked elements of his story. Drawing from personal interviews with those who knew King, Eig told anecdotes about King, like when he told his friends that he needed some time to think before joining the fight for freedom or how he still properly addressed and respected those who caused harm to his family and reputation.
Eig also mentioned King's mental health history and how it influenced some of the decisions he made. Through stories of King’s hesitation when he was first called to the movement, the personal challenges in his marriage to his wife, Coretta Scott King, and the government surveillance he endured after igniting hope with his “I Have a Dream” speech, Eig painted a picture of a leader who was both vulnerable and extraordinary.
Eig said Corretta is often left out of the story and not referenced enough when talking about King's success. He said if he had the opportunity to interview someone who was no longer here and knew King, it would be Corretta. Eig shared that King was unfaithful to Corretta during their marriage, yet she stayed and helped him pursue his dream. Her enduring commitment to the movement and King’s vision serves as a testament to her remarkable character and ethical grounding, worthy of greater acknowledgment in history, according to Eig.
Junior Hyemin Im said the lecture gave King a realness that she had never seen before.
“I always liked Martin Luther King, but when I heard the lecture tonight, it was like blowing the air into his soul. I thought, ‘Wow, he’s a real guy,’” Im said.
Further illustrating King's unwavering intentionality, Eig noted that Jesse Jackson could testify to the power of King’s movements and words. Even King’s final statement, "OK, I will," carried an air of resolve and purpose, embodying his lifelong commitment to action, empathy, and justice, according to Eig.
“Does anyone know Mike?” was the question Eig rhetorically asked the audience at the start of his speech.
Freshman Sadie Paulos said yes.
“I knew kind of about his big things – I knew very little about his personal life until tonight when Eig shared the stories. I understand the real-life Dr. King a little better now,” Paulos said.
Eig’s goal was to explore the man behind the hero, presenting a deeply human portrait of King.
“If we demand perfection from our heroes, we’d have none,” Eig said.