On April 4, 1968 civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated while standing on the Lorraine hotel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee. In the wake of 50 years since his assassination, with the Trump era, white supremacy uprisings, police shootings of unarmed African Americans, disenfranchisement of Black convicted felons and mass incarceration, many are left wondering if anything has changed in 50 years or changed for the worse. In order to reflect on the 50 years, one must begin with a look back at the years before Martin Luther King’s rise in civil rights era. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the civil rights movement from approximately 1955 until his death in 1968—a short 13 years. In those 13 short years, King’s leadership with others accomplished more than had been accomplished in the 350 years since Blacks first arrived in the U.S. Throughout the U.S. African Americans were treated as less than 2nd class citizens. Separate but equal was the law. In the year before … [Read more...] about Martin Luther King, Jr. 50 Years Later: What’s Changed?
Martin Luther King
Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 2017 Trump Era
On December 31, 2016, I attended a watch night church service where Rev. Dr. William Barber led the service. During the service, I heard a rousing account from singer, activist and song writer Joan Baez about an event with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It bears relevance for today. Baez tells a story from when she was traveling with Dr. King and he fell asleep, making him very late for a speech. The other ministers and activists could not wake him. They asked Joan Baez to go in into the bedroom and sing a song to Dr. King. As Baez finished her song, “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”, Dr. King raised his voice and said, “Joan, sing another one”. Today we need to waken the inner voice of Dr. King to fight the battles that lay ahead of us with the new Trump Administration. As we celebrate the legacy of Dr. King on his holiday and birthday, we are reminded, as King once wrote from his jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” And we … [Read more...] about Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 2017 Trump Era
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday 2016 Style
Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. Many often think of Martin Luther King Day as a time to reflect on the past. Video clips of Dr. King’s speeches, marches and life are shown while parades and prayer breakfasts are held. The holiday is often viewed as a day for service. When I reflect on Dr. King’s holiday, I see it as a time to go back to the future. I see it as a day to recommit, rededicate and reclaim the dream of Dr. King for the future. I see it as a time to work tirelessly towards achieving Dr. King’s dream of social justice, economic justice, racial equality and human rights for all. As we watch the 2016 presidential campaigns, we are reminded almost every day by the comments of the Republican political candidates that we must continue to fight for the realization and actualization of Dr. King’s dream. When I read comments of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Scalia that African Americans are inferior intellectually, I know … [Read more...] about Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday 2016 Style
Why MLK Day Should be Everyday
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s holiday, celebrated on the third Monday in January, is the federal holiday that is set aside to honor Dr. King’s birthday, life and legacy. The principles of justice and equality that he fought and died for should be a part of our daily life and not just once a year. Over the years, we have looked back on his life, celebrated his legacy in ways such as a day of service to honor him. And when the day ends, many persons forget about community service or Dr. King’s legacy and what he stood for until the next January. For some persons, Dr. King’s holiday is a day off from work. For others, Dr. King has been reduced to one day of service, one great “I Have a Dream” speech and one great monument on the mall. Many persons do not know what Dr. King really fought for or stood for. First, for many persons who did not live through the Civil Rights era, study it in school or fail to understand the impact of Dr. King on our country today, we need to educate those … [Read more...] about Why MLK Day Should be Everyday