Did Martin Luther King Jr. achieve his dream?

When the British Broadcasting Corp. set out to answer that question, it turned to a University of Arkansas at Little Rock history professor.

This summer, Dr. John Kirk, who serves as Donaghey distinguished professor of history and department chair at UALR, collaborated with the BBC on its new web display chronicling King’s life, struggles and accomplishments.

“I supplied the scholarly knowledge and expertise, and the BBC people did an excellent job in designing the website and collecting visual materials, such as photographs and videos, from their extensive catalog,” Kirk said.

For Kirk, an internationally known King scholar, the assignment was a natural fit.

Kirk has written numerous books on King, and he has composed articles on the civil rights movement for BBC History Magazine. Kirk also acted as a consultant on an earlier Martin Luther King website produced by the network.

“This time, they wanted me to have a greater involvement in writing a more detailed and expansive website,” Kirk said.

Members of the general public — particularly students — turn to the BBC website for information on a variety of historical topics, Kirk said.

“My goal was to introduce King to the wider public in a succinct and engaging manner, but also to do so in a scholarly, informed way,” he said.

Kirk was pleased with the final result, and now his work is on display for the world to see.

He enjoyed collaborating with the BBC, adding that his efforts were very much in line with the History Department’s focus on community engagement on local, national and international levels.

UALR’s History Department offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in history and history/secondary education, a master’s degree in public history and a minor in geography.

Kirk was born and raised in England. He joined UALR in the summer of 2010 after teaching at the University of London and the University of Wales.