ABSTRACT

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was not only one of the most influential people of the 20th century but also an incredible leader. There are many different viewpoints, however, of what made him such a great leader and which current theory or model of leadership best fits his legacy. This project will explore his history and discuss several theories which are typically applied to him by scholars in the fields of leadership, business, and ministry. The first is the trait theory (great man approach), with a focus on charisma as an inborn characteristic. The relatively new approach of authentic leadership (George, 2003), including the five essential qualities of effective leaders will also be explored. Following that will be the servant leadership approach suggested by Greenleaf (1970) with an emphasis placed on King’s identification as a Baptist minister and servant of the Lord. While each of these approaches can easily be considered as stand-alone options, an equally compelling argument is that the previous theories work in tandem as individual components of the theory of transformational leadership (Burns, 1978). Authenticity, charismatic leadership, and a servant mentality are all important, but singular, aspects of what made King an agent for change and a truly, transformational power in the civil rights movement.