Clayborne Carson

Dr. Clayborne Carson, Martin Luther King, Jr. Centennial Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, has dedicated his professional life to preserving and understanding Dr. King's legacy since witnessing the historic March on Washington in 1963 as a young student. After earning his doctorate from UCLA in 1975, he began his distinguished career at Stanford, where his expertise and dedication led Coretta Scott King to personally select him in 1985 to edit and publish her late husband's papers. As founding director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute and leader of the King Papers Project, he has produced seven comprehensive volumes of King's writings, speeches, and correspondence, creating the world's largest online archive of King-related materials. His scholarly contributions extend beyond King's life to encompass the broader civil rights movement, particularly the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, while his work has been featured in numerous award-winning documentaries and publications. His achievements include the Frederick Jackson Turner Award and the International Award for Promoting Gandhian Values Outside India, reflecting his commitment to expanding understanding of civil rights history. Through his leadership at the King Institute, Carson has transformed the accessibility of vital historical materials, ensuring that King's intellectual legacy remains available for future generations of scholars and citizens alike.