Charlie Kirk said very critical things about Martin Luther King Jr. He called MLK "awful" and "not a good person," and even described him as a "mythological anti-racist creation." Kirk expressed that the positive narrative around King is largely a myth and claimed that King, during his lifetime, was largely unpopular despite being revered today. He also criticized the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which King championed, as a "huge mistake" and claimed that King's legacy did not lead to progress for Black Americans but rather contributed to problems like deteriorated cities and broken families. These statements marked a sharp departure from earlier praise Kirk had given to MLK as a hero and civil rights icon. Kirk's remarks sparked significant controversy given King's revered status in American history.
