One of his close advisors was gay. He wasn’t anywhere near modern on the issue, but most folk were not at the time. More than that, though, LGBT issues - even just in something as small as acknowledging an advisor’s homosexuality - were highly controversial and would have detracted from the struggle on racial equality and justice. MLK Jr. was willing to fight one battle at a time (or, at least, limit the number of battles he fought at one time), and fought the battles he thought he could best push forward with his position.

This is an attitude often condemned by terminally online ‘radicals’ who dedicate their lives to making sure nothing is ever achieved.