The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation

"Reams of material has been written about Malcolm X, James Baldwin and Martin Luther King Jr. But Anna Malaika Tubbs looks at the lives of their mothers. We discover that though their paths were very different, all three women were instrumental in shaping their sons’ lives. Louise Little was an activist, Berdis Baldwin encouraged her son’s creativity, and Alberta King gave young Martin lessons in faith and social justice. All three mothers ended up outliving their sons. Their stories add needed dimension to the ones we thought we knew."