What did Martin Luther King do for black people?

**UPDATE: Professor Farley has been through all of your comments and replied with a fresh post here.**

Hi there – Chloe here.

The black vote has been fiercely fought over by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the recent US primary’s. Obama secured almost 80 per cent of African American Democrat votes to win in South Carolina on Saturday, as he continues to talk about the legacy of Martin Luther King to the call for change.

But did the late Dr King and the civil rights movement fail African Americans? You may remember Ros mentioned this story in Friday’s email. An article by a former Martin Luther King Professor of Applied Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was published in the Guardian newspaper here with the title ” I Have a Nightmare”. Professor Jonathan Farley argues that the “aims and the character of the civil rights movement were flawed”. He says “it is time we all admitted our mistake. A black King did not redeem us. And neither will a black president.”

Martin Luther King’s legacy

Well a spectacular win in South Carolina on Saturday for Barack Obama.. In his victory speech, Mr Obama called on his supporters to overcome racial divisions and work for what he called the politics of shared prosperity. Throughout his campaign Obama has reached for the legacy of Martin Luther King to the call for change. Martin Luther King had a dream.. 40+ years on is Barack Obama the realisation of that dream?

Not according to Jonathan Farley. He’s a former Martin Luther King Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He argues that to liken Barack Obama to Martin Luther King does him no favours because King, like the civil rights movement failed African Americans. In a recent article in the Guardian newspaper, Dr Farley wrote that “King built nothing, and taught us only how to take a beating’ He adds ’A Black King did not redeem us. And neither will a black president.’

Jonathan Farley is a guest on today’s programme and happy to debate his views with you all. If you want to come on post a comment here on the blog and well get back to you or email the programme at worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk