CHARISMA AND CHARISMATIC TENDENCIES IN MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.'S LEADERSHIP STYLE

Inasmuch as the leadership style of Mar-tin L. King, Jr. is often discussed, debated, and about whom much is written, few if any, scholars have cast King and his leadership style within the context of Weber's notions of charisma, elective affinity and the routiniza-tion of charisma. We argue that King pos-sessed the blessed "gift of grace, " and that "gift of grace " was validated by the social audience that King led. We further argue that like charismatics of the past who rejected established rules, created new ones and issued a demand for social change (Tucker 1968), so was King. From state to state, and from time to time, King proved his mission by non-violently demonstrating against all established segregation laws. At times ar-rested, jailed, and if convicted, opted to re-main in jail rather than to pay a fine for his conviction. King also made effective use of rhetoric, metaphors and similes in speeches, alluded to myth and history, and the contents of his message were meaningful and relevant to those who followed him. If correct, then