MLK Championed Universal Basic Income in 1967

When we remember Martin Luther King Jr., we celebrate his fight for racial equality. But King also championed a bold economic idea that's gaining momentum today: universal basic income.

King understood that civil rights meant little without economic security. Worried about automation displacing workers even in the 1960s, he advocated for the government to provide direct cash payments to all citizens to help cover basic expenses.

In 1967, King declared that the Civil Rights Movement must organize for guaranteed annual income. He believed it would address poverty for Black Americans and many other struggling families across the nation.

His vision is becoming reality. More than a dozen U.S. cities have launched guaranteed income programs in recent years, offering cash payments to residents who need help most.

New research shows King's instinct was right. Political scientists found that universal basic income enjoys broad support, with majorities of white Americans backing the idea in two out of three surveys analyzed.

Support runs especially high among people with lower incomes, exactly the group King hoped to reach. He believed economic security could unite people across racial lines in their shared struggle for dignity and opportunity.

Why This Inspires

King saw something many leaders miss: that people struggling to pay rent and buy groceries share common ground, regardless of race. His dream included not just equality under the law, but freedom from economic fear.

The growing success of guaranteed income pilots proves his decades-old vision still resonates. Communities are testing whether direct cash assistance can help families climb out of poverty and build better futures.

King's legacy reminds us that true progress means both justice and opportunity for everyone.