MLK was a Republican and other myths
John Blake-Profile-Image
By John Blake, CNN
Updated 7:59 PM ET, Fri January 15, 2016
King speaks with Malcolm X at a press conference on March 26, 1964.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King speaks with Malcolm X at a press conference on March 26, 1964.
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12 of 22
In 1963, King became the first African-American to be named Time magazine's Man of the Year.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1963, King became the first African-American to be named Time magazine's Man of the Year.
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13 of 22
King receives the Nobel Prize for Peace from the president of the Nobel Prize committee, Gunnar Jahn, in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1964. At the time he was the youngest person to win the prize.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King receives the Nobel Prize for Peace from the president of the Nobel Prize committee, Gunnar Jahn, in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1964. At the time he was the youngest person to win the prize.
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14 of 22
King and his wife lead a black voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, on March 30, 1965.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King and his wife lead a black voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, on March 30, 1965.
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King addresses civil rights marchers in Selma in April 1965.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King addresses civil rights marchers in Selma in April 1965.
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16 of 22
Mississippi patrolmen shove King during the 220-mile "March Against Fear" from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi, on June 8, 1966.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Mississippi patrolmen shove King during the 220-mile "March Against Fear" from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi, on June 8, 1966.
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17 of 22
King signs the Degree Roll at Newcastle University after receiving an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree, in Newcastle, England, on November 14, 1967.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King signs the Degree Roll at Newcastle University after receiving an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree, in Newcastle, England, on November 14, 1967.
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18 of 22
King and comedian Bob Hope, right, talk at John F. Kennedy International airport in New York on November 14, 1967.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King and comedian Bob Hope, right, talk at John F. Kennedy International airport in New York on November 14, 1967.
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Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Jesse Jackson and others stand on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, pointing in the direction of the gunshots that killed King, who lies at their feet.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Jesse Jackson and others stand on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, pointing in the direction of the gunshots that killed King, who lies at their feet.
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King's body is pictured on April 8, 1968, following his murder in Memphis. His wife, Coretta, led a silent march of 50,000 people through the streets of Memphis before making a televised speech at his funeral.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King's body is pictured on April 8, 1968, following his murder in Memphis. His wife, Coretta, led a silent march of 50,000 people through the streets of Memphis before making a televised speech at his funeral.
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The statue of King is pictured at a memorial in August 2013 in Washington, as thousands of people gathered to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
The statue of King is pictured at a memorial in August 2013 in Washington, as thousands of people gathered to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.
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American civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is best known for his role in the African-American civil rights movement and nonviolent protests. His life's work has been honored with a national holiday, schools and public buildings named after him, and a memorial on the National Mall in Washington. Take a look back at the civil rights leader's defining years. Here, King speaks in Washington in 1968.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
American civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is best known for his role in the African-American civil rights movement and nonviolent protests. His life's work has been honored with a national holiday, schools and public buildings named after him, and a memorial on the National Mall in Washington. Take a look back at the civil rights leader's defining years. Here, King speaks in Washington in 1968.
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1 of 22
King outlines boycott strategies to his advisers and organizers on January 27, 1956. Seated are the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, left, and Rosa Parks, center, who was the catalyst for the protest of bus riders.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King outlines boycott strategies to his advisers and organizers on January 27, 1956. Seated are the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, left, and Rosa Parks, center, who was the catalyst for the protest of bus riders.
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2 of 22
King sits for a police mugshot after his arrest for directing a citywide boycott of segregated buses on February 24, 1956.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King sits for a police mugshot after his arrest for directing a citywide boycott of segregated buses on February 24, 1956.
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3 of 22
King stands in front of a bus at the end of the Montgomery bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 26, 1956.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King stands in front of a bus at the end of the Montgomery bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 26, 1956.
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King speaks during the Prayer Pilgrimage near the Reflecting Pool in Washington on May 17, 1957.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King speaks during the Prayer Pilgrimage near the Reflecting Pool in Washington on May 17, 1957.
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Accompanied by his wife, Coretta Scott, King leaves Harlem Hospital after being stabbed near the heart on September 20, 1958. The near-fatal incident occurred when he was autographing copies of his book at a Harlem bookstore.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Accompanied by his wife, Coretta Scott, King leaves Harlem Hospital after being stabbed near the heart on September 20, 1958. The near-fatal incident occurred when he was autographing copies of his book at a Harlem bookstore.
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King delivers a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta in September 1960.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King delivers a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta in September 1960.
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7 of 22
King, his wife and children, Yolanda, 5, and Martin Luther III, 3, play the piano together in their living room in Atlanta in 1960.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King, his wife and children, Yolanda, 5, and Martin Luther III, 3, play the piano together in their living room in Atlanta in 1960.
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Moderator John McCaffery, left, segregationist editor James J. Kilpatrick and King debate segregation in New York on November 11, 1960.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Moderator John McCaffery, left, segregationist editor James J. Kilpatrick and King debate segregation in New York on November 11, 1960.
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9 of 22
King addresses a crowd of demonstrators outside the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington on August 28, 1963. He delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech to more than 250,000 people.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King addresses a crowd of demonstrators outside the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington on August 28, 1963. He delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech to more than 250,000 people.
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President Lyndon B. Johnson talks with King and civil rights leaders at the White House. On July 2, 1964, Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
President Lyndon B. Johnson talks with King and civil rights leaders at the White House. On July 2, 1964, Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law.
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11 of 22
King speaks with Malcolm X at a press conference on March 26, 1964.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King speaks with Malcolm X at a press conference on March 26, 1964.
Hide Caption
12 of 22
In 1963, King became the first African-American to be named Time magazine's Man of the Year.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1963, King became the first African-American to be named Time magazine's Man of the Year.
Hide Caption
13 of 22
King receives the Nobel Prize for Peace from the president of the Nobel Prize committee, Gunnar Jahn, in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1964. At the time he was the youngest person to win the prize.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King receives the Nobel Prize for Peace from the president of the Nobel Prize committee, Gunnar Jahn, in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 1964. At the time he was the youngest person to win the prize.
Hide Caption
14 of 22
King and his wife lead a black voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, on March 30, 1965.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King and his wife lead a black voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, on March 30, 1965.
Hide Caption
15 of 22
King addresses civil rights marchers in Selma in April 1965.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King addresses civil rights marchers in Selma in April 1965.
Hide Caption
16 of 22
Mississippi patrolmen shove King during the 220-mile "March Against Fear" from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi, on June 8, 1966.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Mississippi patrolmen shove King during the 220-mile "March Against Fear" from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi, on June 8, 1966.
Hide Caption
17 of 22
King signs the Degree Roll at Newcastle University after receiving an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree, in Newcastle, England, on November 14, 1967.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King signs the Degree Roll at Newcastle University after receiving an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree, in Newcastle, England, on November 14, 1967.
Hide Caption
18 of 22
King and comedian Bob Hope, right, talk at John F. Kennedy International airport in New York on November 14, 1967.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King and comedian Bob Hope, right, talk at John F. Kennedy International airport in New York on November 14, 1967.
Hide Caption
19 of 22
Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Jesse Jackson and others stand on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, pointing in the direction of the gunshots that killed King, who lies at their feet.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Jesse Jackson and others stand on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, pointing in the direction of the gunshots that killed King, who lies at their feet.
Hide Caption
20 of 22
King's body is pictured on April 8, 1968, following his murder in Memphis. His wife, Coretta, led a silent march of 50,000 people through the streets of Memphis before making a televised speech at his funeral.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King's body is pictured on April 8, 1968, following his murder in Memphis. His wife, Coretta, led a silent march of 50,000 people through the streets of Memphis before making a televised speech at his funeral.
Hide Caption
21 of 22
The statue of King is pictured at a memorial in August 2013 in Washington, as thousands of people gathered to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
The statue of King is pictured at a memorial in August 2013 in Washington, as thousands of people gathered to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.
Hide Caption
22 of 22
American civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is best known for his role in the African-American civil rights movement and nonviolent protests. His life's work has been honored with a national holiday, schools and public buildings named after him, and a memorial on the National Mall in Washington. Take a look back at the civil rights leader's defining years. Here, King speaks in Washington in 1968.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
American civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is best known for his role in the African-American civil rights movement and nonviolent protests. His life's work has been honored with a national holiday, schools and public buildings named after him, and a memorial on the National Mall in Washington. Take a look back at the civil rights leader's defining years. Here, King speaks in Washington in 1968.
Hide Caption
1 of 22
King outlines boycott strategies to his advisers and organizers on January 27, 1956. Seated are the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, left, and Rosa Parks, center, who was the catalyst for the protest of bus riders.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King outlines boycott strategies to his advisers and organizers on January 27, 1956. Seated are the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, left, and Rosa Parks, center, who was the catalyst for the protest of bus riders.
Hide Caption
2 of 22
King sits for a police mugshot after his arrest for directing a citywide boycott of segregated buses on February 24, 1956.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King sits for a police mugshot after his arrest for directing a citywide boycott of segregated buses on February 24, 1956.
Hide Caption
3 of 22
King stands in front of a bus at the end of the Montgomery bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 26, 1956.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King stands in front of a bus at the end of the Montgomery bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 26, 1956.
Hide Caption
4 of 22
King speaks during the Prayer Pilgrimage near the Reflecting Pool in Washington on May 17, 1957.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King speaks during the Prayer Pilgrimage near the Reflecting Pool in Washington on May 17, 1957.
Hide Caption
5 of 22
Accompanied by his wife, Coretta Scott, King leaves Harlem Hospital after being stabbed near the heart on September 20, 1958. The near-fatal incident occurred when he was autographing copies of his book at a Harlem bookstore.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Accompanied by his wife, Coretta Scott, King leaves Harlem Hospital after being stabbed near the heart on September 20, 1958. The near-fatal incident occurred when he was autographing copies of his book at a Harlem bookstore.
Hide Caption
6 of 22
King delivers a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta in September 1960.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King delivers a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta in September 1960.
Hide Caption
7 of 22
King, his wife and children, Yolanda, 5, and Martin Luther III, 3, play the piano together in their living room in Atlanta in 1960.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King, his wife and children, Yolanda, 5, and Martin Luther III, 3, play the piano together in their living room in Atlanta in 1960.
Hide Caption
8 of 22
Moderator John McCaffery, left, segregationist editor James J. Kilpatrick and King debate segregation in New York on November 11, 1960.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Moderator John McCaffery, left, segregationist editor James J. Kilpatrick and King debate segregation in New York on November 11, 1960.
Hide Caption
9 of 22
King addresses a crowd of demonstrators outside the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington on August 28, 1963. He delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech to more than 250,000 people.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
King addresses a crowd of demonstrators outside the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington on August 28, 1963. He delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech to more than 250,000 people.
Hide Caption
10 of 22
President Lyndon B. Johnson talks with King and civil rights leaders at the White House. On July 2, 1964, Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law.
22 photos: The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
President Lyndon B. Johnson talks with King and civil rights leaders at the White House. On July 2, 1964, Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law.
Hide Caption
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(CNN)—The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican. He opposed affirmative action. He grew so radical near the end of his life that he considered renouncing nonviolence.
Which of those statements are true?
None of them. They're all bogus. But that won't stop them from circulating among some Americans as MLK Day approaches. When the United States commemorates King's birthday on Monday, most people will celebrate the actual man. But others will invoke a phantom version of King that materializes on Facebook pages, e-mail links, Twitter feeds and the occasional billboard.
