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‘Glee, Satisfaction and Weeping’: How America Reacted When Martin Luther King Died
When the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, public perception of him was more mixed than it is today.
Readers recount the mood they witnessed 50 years ago.
For many years, the United States has lived under a broad consensus that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a national hero, even a national saint.
But nearly a half-century ago, when he was assassinated, public perception of him was far more mixed.
Near the end of his life, only a third of the public viewed him positively, according to a…
The 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination is Wednesday, and we…