That was when Liberals were Liberals - and not progressives as they are now. Comparing those days to these is like comparing apples to oranges. Might both be 'fruit' but there is no rational comparison.
Liberalism, by it's very nature, is progressive. Conservatives are traditionalists..hence you see the "time slicing" of Liberal agenda and beliefs by conservatives. It's a rather opaque attempt to claim credit for things the philosophy never supported at the time.
Do you honestly think that MLK would support today's 'Liberals' attitude towards minorities? Because if you do, you really don't understand what he stood for. He would never support the use of race as a weapon. He would not support the destruction of black communities for partisan politics. He just wouldn't... and that is what today's 'Liberals' to. They abuse minorities for political gain. They do not value minorities as people - minorities are just a 'voting block', a 'special interest' group to be pandered to when they need there votes. Do you think he would be proud of the disproportionate number of minorities on welfare? He wouldn't. And it is your party that has done that. He would be ashamed of today's Democrats.... and of today's Republicans... in my opinion.
MLK was a staunch, dyed in the wool, republican. He was fighting the democrats who were then controlled by the KKK. Back when there was a KKK powerful enough to put George Wallace in office as governor and send Robert Byrd to Washington. The blacks of the time were all republicans. IF MLK woud have opposed what the democrats have done since the civil rights movement of the day, that belief is NOT reflected in any of his fellow activists. That philosophy died along with King or become corrupted. Would King have followed his fellow civil rights activists? That's the question. Sure. He would not have stood alone.