5 Great Illustrated Martin Luther King Magazine Covers

This year we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King on January 20 (his real birthday was January 15). During his lifetime and after, King appeared on numerous magazine and publication covers. Here are five of our favorites, featuring illustrations by Paul Davis, Ben Shahn, Barry Blitt, Mark Ulriksen, and Robert Vickrey.

Be sure to listen to the special edition of the Life Elsewhere radio show on Monday, January 20 with host Norman B. The show will feature music dedicated and related to King as well as discussions about his life and impact.

Above: Rolling Stone, April 1988. Illustration: Paul Davis.

Time, March 19, 1965. Illustration: Ben Shahn.

The New Yorker, January 16, 1995. Illustration: Mark Ulriksen, art director: Francoise Mouly.

Time, January 3, 1964. Illustration: Robert Vickrey.

The New Yorker, January 17, 2000. Illustration: Barry Blitt, art director: Francoise Mouly.

Of related interest:

The Crisis: A Record of the Darker Races A collection of recent covers from The Crisis, the magazine of the NAACP

Emory Douglas: The Revolutionary Artist of the Black Panther Party An interview and design samples from the former art director and artist for the Black Panther newspaper