MLK comic book lands in Egypt's Tahrir Square

By Shelia M. Poole

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Reprints of a 1950s-era comic book about the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. have been credited with providing inspiration for the Egyptian protests that forced a peaceful leadership change.

Enlarge photo

A comic book about Martin Luther King Jr. and nonviolence is said to have inspired some of the Egyptian protesters.

More Atlanta/Fulton news »

• Beryl may bring rain, wind here
• Not all cheating the same at APS
• Sneiderman battle recalls 1989 saga
• Citizen Review Board under scrutiny
• Atlanta/South Fulton
• North Fulton

Dalia Ziada, the Egyptian director for the Washington-based American Islamic Congress, has said she distributed the reprinted copies in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on behalf of her organization.

The comic book, its existence largely unknown in the U.S., was produced in either 1957 or 1958 by the Fellowship of Reconciliation shortly after the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which sparked the modern-day civil rights movement. The publication, titled “Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story,” sold for 10 cents per copy and explored King’s strategy of nonviolent civil disobedience.

Ziada, also a blogger and an activist, wrote that her group’s mission has been to nurture a climate of nonviolence advocacy. Several years ago, she said, the group translated a copy of the King comic book into Arabic. When members tried to print it, a security officer blocked publication, but later consented and asked for copies.

Ziada, who could not be reached for comment, previously said the organization translated the comic book into Farsi, Iran’s predominant language.

Nasser Weddady, the organization’s civil rights outreach director, said people were inspired by reading the comic book in print form and online. In 2008, the organization translated it into Arabic, which is read from right to left.

“The comic book makes clear the value of nonviolence, both morally and as a strategy,” Weddady said.

Several copies of the comic book are kept in the King Center archives, Martin Luther King III said.

“I don’t know if we can specifically measure the impact, but we certainly know it was significant,” the younger King said. “This is the first time we’ve seen a major nonviolent revolution within the Islamic nations and it’s quite amazing. Clearly the teachings of my dad and Gandhi were quite meaningful.”

The comic book, which begins with a young Martin Luther King sitting in his father’s church, was first released by the Fellowship of Reconciliation in English and later in Spanish.

Last year, the group discussed re-releasing the comic book, accompanied by a study guide, but it didn’t have the time, money and staff to do it, said Ethan Vesely-Flad, FOR’s communications director.