HarperCollins will reissue books by Martin Luther King Jr. after striking a deal with the civil rights icon’s estate, the Associated Press reports.
Eric Tidwell, who manages King’s estate, said the estate was “pleased to return the publishing rights” to HarperCollins, King’s original publisher.
“Dr. King’s prophetic message of peace, hope, love and equality continue to impact the world today,” Tidwell said. “That message is needed now more than ever. We look forward to utilizing HarperCollins’ global footprint to continue the perpetuation of Dr. King’s wonderful legacy through new creative literary projects.”
The previous publisher of King’s books was Boston-based Beacon Press, a division of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which issued King’s works for 12 years. The estate’s literary agent, Amy Berkower, said the estate wasn’t happy with recent sales numbers of King’s books and that they wanted the books to be published “in a much more contemporary way.”
HarperCollins plans to reissue King’s books globally and publish work inspired by his life, including graphic novels and books for children.
HarperOne president and publisher Judith Curr said the company plans to “develop region-specific yet universally appealing publications that illustrate how extensive and inclusive Dr. King’s work is,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
“We see this as an opportunity to further solidify Dr. King’s legacy as one of the world’s essential figures in the fight for justice and equality,” Curr said.
Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.
