Mel King, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Senior Lecturer Emeritus, combines many years of experience as a university professor, teacher, community organizer, activist, political innovator, author, and spokesperson for both individual and community empowerment.   He initiated the MIT Community Fellows Program in 1971 and was the program director.  The program brought people involved in community development to MIT for a year of research, reflection, revitalization and development.

Mr. King has a long history in education including the Boston Public Schools and the Harvard University School of Education.   A continuing source of pride and volunteer work is the South End Technology Center @ Tent City, which he founded.  Mel King has also served as a consultant to many, many groups – within the Commonwealth and across the nation.

A distinguished author, Mel King has several publications, including Chain of Change:  Struggles for Black Community Development, and Liberating Theory with Noam Chomsky et al.

A visionary and practitioner, Mel King was responsible for developing many Boston programs such as: The Urban School, Chandler School Program, Thompson Academy Upward Bound, and The Bridge.  The Urban School and the Thompson Academy became the forerunner to the nationally recognized Upward Bound program.

From 1973 to 1983, as a Representative to the Massachusetts State Legislature, Mr. King brought his community values and keen mind to the issues facing the Commonwealth. Legislative accomplishments include the prohibition of using of psychotropic drugs on school children; ending schools’ reliance on IQ tests for tracking children; a change in school-funding formulae that increased allocations to schools with a high incidence of students from low-income families; and authored legislation to create the Mass. Community Development Finance Corporation and the Community Economic Assistance Development Corporation (CEDAC). These Corporations have enabled the creation of over 5,000 jobs and approximately 5,000 units of affordable housing in the state.  Mel King was a candidate for May of the City of Boston in 1979 and 1983.

Mel King’s concerns extended beyond the borders of the United States. He co-authored  comprehensive legislation that required the Commonwealth to divest its holdings from corporations doing business with South Africa.  As a result of his work, Mel King was given the honor of introducing Nelson and Winnie Mandela to over one-half million people, during their visit to Boston.

Mel married his wife Joyce King in 1951 and they have six adult children.

Today, Mel King describes himself as being “interested in Life and all that it means... (with a commitment) to working for peace, justice and development everywhere.”

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Streets.  (Preview) Original poems written and copyright 2006 © Melvin H. King, PhD, and illustrated by Billy “Biz” Nunez with artwork. Parade on