The other day, I bought, at a local specialty comic book store, a full colour comic book, which, to my eyes, was obviously a brand new reprint of a late 1950s or early to mid- 1960s U.S. comic book. This comic book was Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Story. This comic book is printed on very thin newsprint, though in full colour. It has a cover price of ten cents, but over that, on the comics bag it came in, there was a price tag of $4.99 Cdn, plus tax, of course, when I paid for it. (I am in Canada.) Also, it only had fourteen pages.
HOWEVER: this said, it was such an incredible real, true life story, from history, that I didn’t mind, very much, the price tag that I paid for it. In fact, this is probably the most enjoyment I have gotten out of a comic book, in a long, long time and, that said, I am a huge comic book fan and reader!
I say again, this is a brand new reprint of this vintage comic book, so you can probably obtain a copy, very, very easily!
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lived such an incredible life, meaning, by his OWN good example. And, moreover, in very tragic ways, the way in which he and black people were, and are today, still too often treated. Dr. King has long been one of my heroes from history, along with U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, JFK, and his brother, Bobby Kennedy, to name just a few.
This comic book, to my mind, is very recommended reading. I knew a lot of the history surrounding the events described in this comic book previously, because I have, for several decades, had a very real interest in history. And yet, nonetheless, there were events in this comic book that even I did not previously know about.
It seemed obvious to me, when I read it, that this comic book was written (this is my guess, anyway), by a black person, or persons, given the sheer level of understanding, from the black perspective, on these events in history, and the compassion towards their white opponents/-oppressors, who repressed, and frequently, hated them, often, displayed in terms of severe violence, including bombing their homes, shooting them, etc.
One thing not mentioned in this comic books, is lynchings, which happened in those times!
The message in this comic book, (among many other important messages), is that Jim Crow, which is a synonym for many whites racial hatred of black people, and oppression of those people, (from the black perspective), is that white people who treated and treat black people like this that the whites attitudes and actions, could best be defeated/-made to see the light, over time, was to be through such ways of handling it, as love, compassion, prayers, and a PEACEFUL display of opposition, and steadfastness.
Another message throughout this story was equally clear to me: the writer or writers of this comic book clearly felt that many whites hatred of black people, was because they feared them, for whatever reason. I admit I don’t understand that irrational mindset. I cannot begin to understand what it must have been like to live as a black man or woman, living anywhere, in those times, especially in the deep south of the U.S.A, in those times.
There are so many important messages, in this short comic book.
The strength of character, the sense that the black people’s cause, in peacefully fighting this severe oppression was and is JUST, and on the side of God, with peace, and with a firm resolve to not give up, no matter what is to be really admired, and respected.
That must have been so hard to do to have whites, for example, physically attack you, throw things at you, bomb many black persons homes, shoot them, etcetera. Even one black preacher’s home was bombed! The mind boggles! And, in reply, the black person says, I will pray for you!
Wow. The book, involving a black woman on a bus, while minding her own business, just sitting there on the bus, peacefully, and quietly a smaller white male, sitting next to her, reaches out, and PUNCHES the black woman in the face! The narrative says he was much smaller than her, and that, she is thinking, that he would have been no match for her, had she retaliated. But she did not. Instead, she prayed for him.
Amazing! What sense of character! I can’t say, truthfully, that I would have been able to just sit there, and put up with that severe level of hatred, and physical abuse/-attack. And, that said, I am a peaceable person.
My opinion of this comic book, other than all of the above? You would, in my opinion, be well served, by purchasing a copy of this comic book, which is in stores, available now. Or, if your local comic book specialty store does not have these in stock, ask them to order you a copy. You will end up feeling very glad you did!
The final two message in this comic book is that, over time, the battle to end segregated (by race) busing, in the southern U.S. township or city of Montgomery, was eventually won.
And that, further, eventually, (in India), Mahatma Ghandis likewise peaceful opposition to white oppression and brutally which included mass shootings of Indian people, by whites, throughout India, as an answer to peaceful demonstrations eventually persuaded British colonial interests to get out of India, and to finally recognize India as an independent,
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