The self-congratulatory popular account insists that Dr. King called on the nation to fully accept its own creed, and the walls came a-tumbling down. This conventional narrative is soothing, moving, and politically acceptable, and has only the disadvantage of bearing no resemblance to what actually happened.

Summary

This quote suggests that there is a commonly accepted and idealized interpretation of Dr. King's message that is largely focused on embracing a shared American identity. However, the quote argues that this narrative oversimplifies and even distorts the reality of what occurred during the civil rights movement. It implies that the mainstream version of events ignores the complexity, struggle, and resistance that were actually at play, painting a more convenient and sanitized picture of history.

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