Research Guides: Martin Luther King, Jr.: Home

About This Guide

Welcome!

This guide highlights readings about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

The guide is a companion to the book displays at Elmer H. Bobst Library and Bern Dibner Library curated for MLK Week at NYU and features books recommended by:

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University (King Institute Readings)
Staff members of the NYU Libraries (Staff Picks)

Visit the MLK Week website to learn more about this annual NYU tradition and get involved.

Image Credit: NYU MLK Week 2020 Committee

Resources Beyond NYU

The Civil Rights Digital Library
A comprehensive collection of Civil Rights related material including videos, digital collections and resources for educators.
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Archive at Boston University
The Martin Luther King, Jr. collection, donated in 1964, consists of manuscripts, notebooks, correspondence, printed material, financial and legal papers, a small number of photographs and other items dating from 1947 to 1963.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
Established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King, The King Center has been a global destination, resource center and community institution for over a quarter-century.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection at Morehouse College
The Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection represents much of Morehouse alumnus Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and work spanning from 1944 to 1968. Encompassing approximately 10,000 items, the collection includes hundreds of handwritten notes, famous and lesser known speeches, manuscripts, sermons, and other writings of unparalleled historical significance.
MLK Day of Service
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 20, 2020, marked the 25th anniversary of the day of service that celebrates the Civil Rights leader’s life and legacy. Observed each year on the third Monday in January as “a day on, not a day off,” MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
National Civil Rights Museum
Established in 1991, the National Civil Rights Museum is located at the former Lorraine Motel, where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Through interactive exhibits, historic collections, dynamic speakers and special events, the museum offers visitors a chance to walk through history and learn more about a tumultuous and inspiring period of change.