MLK: The Man Behind
the Monument
After six years of painstaking research and hundreds of interviews with those who knew King best, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jonathan Eig delivers presentations that go beyond the history books. His compelling storytelling reveals the brilliant strategist, the committed radical, and the deeply human figure behind the national holiday — leaving every audience inspired, challenged, and moved.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author
MLK: The Man Behind
the Monument
Jonathan Eig + King: A Life
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jonathan Eig brings King’s story to your stage.
The Right Speaker for Every Stage.
Whether you’re marking Black History Month, celebrating Juneteenth, or leading a DEI initiative — Jonathan Eig brings the same Pulitzer Prize-winning research and master storytelling to every stage.
Black History Speaker
Transform your February program into an unforgettable experience. Jonathan brings little-known stories of King’s life that leave audiences with a fresh, powerful understanding of Black history in America.
Civil Rights Speaker
Go beyond the textbook. Jonathan’s six years of original research uncover the real strategy, sacrifice, and humanity behind the civil rights movement — told in a way no other speaker can.
DEI Speaker
King’s vision for racial and economic justice is more urgent than ever. Jonathan connects the civil rights movement directly to today’s workplace diversity conversations in a way that inspires real reflection.
Juneteenth Speaker
Celebrate freedom with depth and meaning. Jonathan brings the historical context of Juneteenth alive — honoring the past while challenging audiences to carry King’s unfinished work forward.
Pulitzer Prize Winner 2024
Recognized as the definitive biography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
National Recognition & Honors
Praised by top newspapers, magazines, and cultural institutions nationwide
About the Book
Pulitzer Prize Winner. Master Storyteller.
Jonathan Eig spent six years uncovering the man behind the monument — and now he brings that story to your stage.
King, A Life is the first major biography in 30 years of the civil rights icon. Eig reveals a deep thinker, brilliant strategist, and committed radical whose demands for racial and economic justice remain as urgent today as they were in his lifetime.
“Supple, penetrating, heartstring-pulling and compulsively readable . . . Eig’s book is worthy of its subject.”
— Dwight Garner,
The New York Times
(Editors’ Choice)
“[King is] infused with the narrative energy of a thriller . . . The most compelling account of King’s life in a generation.”
— Mark Whitaker, The Washington Post
A Legacy of Connection
Reviews & Recognition
Jonathan Eig has spoken at The National Cathedral, the National Museum of African American History, Morehouse College, Stanford University, and dozens of other prominent venues.
Book a Presentation
Let's Bring
History to Your Stage.
Submit the form to check availability and bring an unforgettable MLK presentation to your organization.
- Pulitzer Prize-winning author of King: A Life
- Named one of Barack Obama's favorite books of 2023
- Featured in The New York Times · Washington Post · Time Magazine
- Spoken at The National Cathedral · Morehouse College · Stanford University
- Six years of research · Hundreds of original interviews
- Every presentation tailored to your audience
- Interactive Q&A + book signing included
— Event Organizer, Public Library Program
Every presentation is a one-of-a-kind experience — shaped around your audience, your occasion, and your organization’s goals. There is no one better positioned to bring Martin Luther King Jr.’s story to your stage.