Clifford Alexander
Former U.S. Secretary of the Army
King in the Wilderness
King in the Wilderness chronicles the final chapters of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, revealing a conflicted leader who faced an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. While the Black Power movement saw his nonviolence as weakness, and President Lyndon B. Johnson saw his anti-Vietnam War speeches as irresponsible, Dr. King’s unyielding belief in peaceful protest became a testing point for a nation on the brink of chaos. Dr. King’s leadership during the bus boycotts, the sit-ins and the historic Selma to Montgomery marches is now legendary, but much of what happened afterward – during the last three years of his life – is rarely discussed. It’s a time when Dr. King said his dream “turned into a nightmare.” Drawing on conversations with those who knew Dr. King well, including many fellow members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), King in the Wilderness reveals stirring new perspectives on Dr. King’s character, his radical doctrine of nonviolence and his internal philosophical struggles prior to his assassination in 1968. The documentary also features archival footage, behind-the-scenes video of Dr. King’s private moments, intimate archival photographs and phone conversations recorded by President Johnson, who was both ally and adversary in King’s fight for civil rights.
When his dream for America became a nightmare
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The Screening Guide for King in the Wilderness offers resources to engage audiences in an informed and thoughtful discussion and reflect upon the accomplishments and challenges Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., faced in the last three years of his life.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. leading the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington D.C., August 28, 1963 (Courtesy National Archives)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington D.C., August 28, 1963 (Courtesy National Archives)
Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr., after meeting with President Johnson to discuss civil rights, at the White House, Washington D.C., December 3, 1963 (Courtesy Library of Congress)
Coretta Scott King shakes hands with New York City Mayor Robert Wagner as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stands between them, 1964.
President Lyndon Johnson, the White House, Washington D.C., January 10, 1964 (Courtesy LBJ Presidential Library)
Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. with Malcolm X , March 26, 1964 (Courtesy Library of Congress)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., March 2, 1965 (Courtesy Library of Congress)
Rabbi Abraham Heschel presenting Judaism And World Peace award to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., December 7, 1965 (Courtesy Library of Congress)
President Lyndon Johnson and members of his staff watch TV news reports concerning the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the White House, Washington D.C., April 4, 1968 (Courtesy LBJ Presidential Library)
President Lyndon Johnson and Joseph Califano, the White House, Washington D.C., April 5, 1968 (Courtesy LBJ Presidential Library)
Soldier standing guard during the riots that followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington, D.C., April 5, 1968 (Courtesy Library of Congress)
Anti-Vietnam War protest, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., May 5, 1971 (Courtesy Library of Congress)
