Emmanuel Goldstein: The Open Mind With Richard Hefner- 'Dr. Martin L. King: First Interview in 1957'

Source:Emmanuel Goldstein-  Dr. Martin L. King, on The Open Mind with Richard Hefner, in 1957.

Source:The Daily Journal

"The first extensive TV Interview with Martin Luther King on The Open Mind - The New Negro (the 1957 term)"

From Emmanuel Goldstein

I think what Richard Hefner was talking about in his opening statement, is how he believed African-Americans (which is what they weren't called back in the 1950s) were perceived in the 1950s by Americans, European-Americans, especially Anglo-Saxons. That they were seen as submersive and as people who didn't want the constitutional rights they were entitled to under law and they were just happy to be in America. Which is one thing that Dr. King was fighting against in the 1950s and 60s.

Liberal democracy, worked pretty well in America except for African-Americans and perhaps other racial minorities. Which is why the civil rights movement was so important and Reverend Martin L. King comes along in the 1950s part of the civil rights generation that he in large part created. And concluded that for America to be a true liberal democracy, that all Americans should have their liberty and not just a special few. That liberal democracy had to work for all of us, not some of us, or we weren’t a real liberal democracy.

As President Kennedy said, we shouldn't would be a country that’s half free and half slave, with some Americans with the liberty to live up to their full-potential in life and get out of life what they put into it, with everyone else being dependent on what the special few gave us. And that forced segregation and racism was wrong and unacceptable and that this can’t be tolerated in a liberal democracy.

And Dr. King knew how to fight back against this and mobilized people who felt the same way. Dr. King’s political skills were also very good, he understood that not all Caucasian-Americans were racists and believed in forced segregation. He also knew that not all Southern Caucasians were racists either and reached out to those people a well.

Another thing that Dr. King understood that when of this interview in 1957, that African-Americans made up roughly 10% of the American population. And for his movement to ever get off the ground, let alone succeed, he was going to need the help of other Americans. Similar to the gay rights movement today.

Which is why Dr. King reached out to Caucasians, Jews, Latinos and others, especially in the media, to get the message out. And did a lot of interviews in print and broadcast. To spread the movement of non-violence, peace and equal rights for all Americans and again not just for the special few.

Thats a big part along with their keen intelligence that made Dr. King and Malcolm X so special. They both really knew how to work the media to get their message out. This is also what made people like Richard Hefner so special like this, who understood the greatness of people before they were famous.

Dr. King, understood the power of the media, especially the electronic media before a lot of other people did. Similar to Jack Kennedy and knew how to use it to get their message out and spread the word of what they were trying to say and be able to communicate. Not only to their followers, but also to bring in a lot of other new followers. And had a great message to get out and communicate to America.