Looking at the Civil Rights movement through the eyes of a misfit: Malcolm Gladwell’s David and Goliath

Malcom Gladwell’s new book is intriguing; especially his novel take on the Civil Rights movement.  In his book he argues that many of the Civil Rights leaders necessarily had to act as ‘Davids’ in their battle with Goliath. He argues that the use of the media was a key tool for Civil Rights leaders.  He goes on further an states that some of the most notable and stirring moments in the Civil Rights movement were in fact not as they seemed at the moment that they occurred.

For example, he argues that the classic picture of the young boy (below) who was being attacked by a police dog was not what it looked like.

Gladwell, argues that the young boy was not actually a civil rights protester but instead was simply there to attend a well publicized street event that was organized by civil rights groups.  According to later interviews with the young High School student Walter Gadsden, who was the son of two African-American newspaper publishers, Gladwell opines that Gadsen was actually defending himself and actually leaning into the dog.  Based on more investigation, Gladwell concludes that the police officer was actually attempting to hold the dog back.  Intriguing research.  Gladwell of course tells the story much better than I do! Read it for yourself!

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