With as many mentions about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther
King as there are, there is one instance that has gotten scant mention.
An incident that saw Dr. King nearly lose his life in a department store
in Harlem in 1958. And thanks to Hugh Pearson, we get an in-depth
look at the stabbing of Dr. King, his life-saving operation and all of the
controversy surrounding that operation in Harlem Hospital that ensued.
This was the third, and sadly last book from the author who passed
away three years after its publication. Pearson manages to artfully
convey how America was across the board at the birthing stages of the
civil rights movement and gives the reader heavy context for King’s
rise as well as the stabbing, making this book a must-have for any
historians and casual readers alike. Don’t be surprised if you feel the
need to finish the book in one sitting and find yourself looking to go
through it again.