MLK was a founding father of American freedom. Prior to the late 1960s, not all citizens could vote. His voting rights act was to be just the beginning... King described the social acceptance of poverty "as cruel and blind as the practice of cannibalism" and called for America to "civilize itself" by redistributing economic and political power more equitably. King made clear that a moral society should abolish poverty, and make reparations to the descendants of American slavery, to provide the same economic base that was given to European peasants. He described this mandate as the teachings of the original Christianity. His position was that any American political movement that honors those basic universal values, and liberty and justice for all, would adopt that agenda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices