Our first episode focuses on perhaps one of the most controversial speeches Martin Luther King, Jr., ever gave. In April 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr., traveled to New York City to give the Beyond Vietnam speech at The Riverside Church. King took many months to prepare his anti-war speech and asked friends and colleagues (Vincent Harding, Clarence B. Jones)  to help him craft it. When he finally delivered the speech, the public response was divided. While many anti-war activists applauded King's public stands, some of his supporters sharply criticized him.

Listen to our podcast and find out more details about the Beyond Vietnam speech. Why did King decide to speak out against the war, and what exactly was he criticized for? Who were the people that helped him write the speech? What were the consequences of speaking out against the war? And finally, why should we care about King's 1967 anti-Vietnam War speech today?

For more information, visit the King Institute.