At issue is the phrase, "I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness."
It is inscribed on a statue of King without quotation marks because it is paraphrased.
Angelou says the shortened version is taken out of context and makes King sound egotistical.
The words are taken from a sermon King delivered two months before he was assassinated.
King talked about a eulogy that could be given when he died, saying: "Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all the other shallow things that will not matter."
