washingtonpost.com > Photo

Glenn Beck, civil rights leaders spar over MLK anniversary

Beck's decision to speak on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech leads to criticism by social activists and civil rights leaders.

Civil rights leaders have denounced TV host Glenn Beck's plans to hold a rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, 47 years to the day after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech there. Critics have questioned the motives behind choosing that particular date, but Beck says he picked the date because it was the best day for the schedules of the people involved.

Feb. 20, 2010

Civil rights leaders have denounced TV host Glenn Beck's plans to hold a rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, 47 years to the day after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech there. Critics have questioned the motives behind choosing that particular date, but Beck says he picked the date because it was the best day for the schedules of the people involved.

Jose Luis Magana-AP

Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is among the scheduled speakers at Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally on Aug. 28, which Beck says is meant to restore the country's "values" and to pay tribute to military families.

May 14, 2010

Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is among the scheduled speakers at Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally on Aug. 28, which Beck says is meant to restore the country's "values" and to pay tribute to military families.

Mandel Ngan-AFP/Getty Images

"It was not my intention to select 8-28 because of the Martin Luther King tie," Beck said, insisting that he wasn't aware of the coincidence until after he announced the event.

"It was not my intention to select 8-28 because of the Martin Luther King tie," Beck said, insisting that he wasn't aware of the coincidence until after he announced the event.

File Photo

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is seen here being kissed by his wife, Coretta, after leaving court in Montgomery, Ala., in 1956. A 37-foot memorial to the civil rights leader is scheduled to be unveiled on the Mall on the same day as Beck's rally.

March 22, 1956

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is seen here being kissed by his wife, Coretta, after leaving court in Montgomery, Ala., in 1956. A 37-foot memorial to the civil rights leader is scheduled to be unveiled on the Mall on the same day as Beck's rally.

Gene Herrick-AP

President Lyndon B. Johnson reaches to shake hands with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. after presenting the civil rights leader with one of the 72 pens used to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

July 2, 1964

President Lyndon B. Johnson reaches to shake hands with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. after presenting the civil rights leader with one of the 72 pens used to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

AP

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. leads a march from Roxbury to Boston Common, in protest of racial imbalance in Boston schools and slum housing conditions.

April 23, 1965

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. leads a march from Roxbury to Boston Common, in protest of racial imbalance in Boston schools and slum housing conditions.

Copyright Bettmann/Corbis

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his speech. Beck's choice of day and place for the rally "is insulting, is what it is," said Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League. "August 28 is something special. It is a day that means something in American history because it was the demonstration in the United States in support of civil rights."

Aug. 28, 1963

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his speech. Beck's choice of day and place for the rally "is insulting, is what it is," said Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League. "August 28 is something special. It is a day that means something in American history because it was the demonstration in the United States in support of civil rights."

Francis Miller-Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Community activists and artists, from left: Ericka Taylor, Ryan Clayton and Dorian Lipscombe, have organized a counter-rally against Beck's planned speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Aug. 12, 2010

Community activists and artists, from left: Ericka Taylor, Ryan Clayton and Dorian Lipscombe, have organized a counter-rally against Beck's planned speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Bill O'Leary-The Washington Post

The Rev. Al Sharpton is among those planning rallies in Washington on the same day as Beck. Sharpton called Beck's plans "an effort to embarrass and poke a finger in the eye of the civil rights community because Glenn Beck and his public utterances don't necessarily demonstrate a consistency with the vision of King."

April 14, 2010

The Rev. Al Sharpton is among those planning rallies in Washington on the same day as Beck. Sharpton called Beck's plans "an effort to embarrass and poke a finger in the eye of the civil rights community because Glenn Beck and his public utterances don't necessarily demonstrate a consistency with the vision of King."

Jennifer S. Altman-For The Washington Post

Beck took to his show to defend himself, saying: "Whites don't own Abraham Lincoln. Blacks don't own Martin Luther King. ... Too many have forgotten Abraham Lincoln's ideas and far too many have either gotten just lazy or they have purposely distorted Martin Luther King's ideas of judge a man by the content of his character."

Jan 1, 2007

Beck took to his show to defend himself, saying: "Whites don't own Abraham Lincoln. Blacks don't own Martin Luther King. ... Too many have forgotten Abraham Lincoln's ideas and far too many have either gotten just lazy or they have purposely distorted Martin Luther King's ideas of judge a man by the content of his character."

Helayne Seidman-For The Washington Post

Gallery Credits:
Photo Editor, Producer Troy Witcher

Note: Please upgrade your Flash plug-in to view our enhanced content.

This Story Civil rights panel debates its future Article \| The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is debating its own existence, again. 2008 voter-intimidation case against New Black Panthers riles the right Glenn Beck, civil rights leaders spar over MLK anniversary This Story Glenn Beck's plan for a rally on the date and site of Martin Luther King's speech spurs questions, countermarches Article \| Social activists and civil rights leaders, among them the Rev. Al Sharpton, are planning marches and demonstrations -- including the unveiling of a nearly four-story-tall original sculpture on the Mall -- on Aug. 28 to coincide with a rally organized by Fox News personality Glenn Beck. Glenn Beck, civil rights leaders spar over MLK anniversary Archive video: How does Martin Luther King Jr. inspire you?		Network News X Profile View More Activity TOOLBOX E-Mail This Reprints		More on washingtonpost.com • More Photo News » washingtonpost.com
» This Story:Read +\|Watch +\| Comments » This Story:Read +\|Watch +\| Comments

© 2010 www.washingtonpost.com