essay on injustice anywhere is a threat to justice

“Injustice Anywhere Is a Threat to Justice Everywhere”

Martin luther king jr. and “letter from a birmingham jail”.

by Nicole Hammons

essay on injustice anywhere is a threat to justice

After the Supreme Court of the United States ruled against segregation in 1954 in Brown v. Board of Education, segregationists became more organized, vocal, and extreme. In response, African-American communities formed their own plan of action. Events like the lynching of Emmett Till and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, both in 1955, brought tensions between white supremacists and Civil Rights activists to a dangerous head. The situation worsened due to the brutality of the Birmingham police force, led by the infamous “Bull” Conner. 1

In 1963, pacifist activists led by the young Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. created a document called the Birmingham Manifesto which invoked both Christian and American mandates for justice. 2 In accordance with this Manifesto, King and his supporters staged several non-violent protests. During one of these protests, King was arrested for violating a state injunction barring such demonstrations. While confined to his cell in the Birmingham jail, King responded to media critics and the white clergymen in the Birmingham community. These critics published an open letter in the Birmingham News denouncing the “unwise and untimely” actions of the protesters and their “outsider” leaders. 3 King responded to these and other detractors in the form of a letter, which was published upon his release. In this letter, King beautifully and concisely explained the philosophy of civil disobedience. King’s 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” promoted non-violent civil disobedience and urgency in Civil Rights advancement. It was distributed throughout the United States in newspaper and magazine reprints. It reached far beyond the many disenfranchised readers of the time; King’s words are still used to guide and defend non-violent protesters today. Although King minced no words on people unfriendly to the Movement, King was careful not to label any person or group as an enemy. Instead, he pled for a ‘change of heart’ by white moderates, white clergy, and black advocates of violence or who passively allow racial oppression to occur.

Perhaps surprisingly, he did not rail against segregationists; his letter speaks only to those whose minds he thought he could change. The success of “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” can be largely attributed to King’s directness and honesty. Instead of tarring all his critics with the same brush, he identified each of them, and explained what he believed to be their rationale for disagreement. He addressed individual criticisms and then turned those words against the critics—instructing them to pay more attention to resolving the situation that precipitated the protests and not on the protests themselves. 4 In the “Letter,” King expressed the frustration towards apathetic white moderates. He believed that these men and women could quickly and easily help the civil rights activists achieve their goals. Many moderates sympathized with and shared the ideals of the civil rights movement, but discouraged protests and demonstrations in the name of keeping peace. Speaking to this group, King stressed the importance of justice. He delineates the difference between “a negative peace, which is the absence of tension, [and] a positive peace, which is the presence of justice.” 5 His method of non-violent protests, he claimed, was the swiftest and most rational route to a just peace. The white religious leaders of the South disappointed King even more disappointing than white moderates. Some, but not all, advised their congregations to accept and obey the decision handed down in Brown v. Board of Education . Very few preached a message of toleration and acceptance. For King, this was reprehensible. In his mind, the message preached at every pulpit should have been “Follow this decree because integration is morally right and because the Negro is your brother.” 6

In current scholarship, King is hailed as a peacemaker; this was not the dominant representation of King in 1960s Birmingham. Even though his actions and words were explicitly non-violent, many regarded him as an extremist. King turned the negative epithet of “extremist” on its head, asking his reader to consider historical “extremists” like Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Jesus Christ. Looking at injustice in Birmingham and the world beyond, King states that the time has again come for such “creative extreme[ism].” 7 Although he self-identified as an extremist in the name of love and justice, King was quick to disassociate himself from what he saw as undesirable extremes in his community. He lamented the extreme complacency of many in the African-American community. By their apathy and acceptance, these worn-down souls became de facto segregationists themselves. At the other extreme were those who were so angered by segregation and injustice that their anger turned to violence. King calls this force one of “bitterness and hatred.” 8 These angry groups directly oppose King’s philosophy; they put forth a deliberately anti-American and anti-Christian message of violent opposition. 9 King’s doctrine of nonviolence concisely laid out the four principal steps of any nonviolent campaign: “collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action.” 10 It was King’s belief that the community in Birmingham had already gone through the first three steps and was therefore completely justified in executing these nonviolent direct action protests. 11 Nonviolent campaigns are more than just a way to gain publicity for a cause. When negotiations have failed, or are not an option, nonviolent direct action creates a public tension that can force negotiations or acquiescence from the relevant authority. Contrary to his critics, King did not believe that this tension was dangerous or even negative. Rather, he saw it as a helpful and productive alternative to the tension created by a violent reaction to the same injustice. King was carefully to ensure that these demonstrations stayed peaceful; screening and teaching volunteers before protests began.

King directly responds to many who condemned nonviolent means on the grounds that they often cause violence. He used the famous analogy of blaming a robbed man for the robbery, on the grounds of his wealth. His point was this: violence is not inevitable nor unavoidable, and it is certainly not the only outcome of nonviolence. Indeed, nonviolent protests like those in Birmingham were proof that there are peaceful means to attract attention and effect political change. Politically, the most important part of this letter was King’s discourse on injustice. In this single short letter, King redefined ideals of justice and injustice, and how justice related to the law. To King, injustice was not confined to an individual person or place. Although he lived and worked in Atlanta, King viewed the suffering and injustice in Birmingham as his own. In his own words, “I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” 12 The last sentence is one of the most famous and enduring of the entire letter. In this discourse on justice, King eloquently described the differences and tensions between what is legal and what is right. Integration and equality, he said, are both “constitutional and God given rights.” 13 In his reading, these rights are separate and distinct. Constitutional rights are bestowed by right of being a citizen of a certain nation, bound by a legal constitution. God-given rights, in King’s eyes, were equally distributed amongst all people, and should not be denied to any group by any other group. Although he expressed the highest respect for the law, King also made it clear that laws are not always just; just and unjust laws can be distinguished by several features:

“A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority.” 14

Beyond these philosophical differences between just and unjust laws, there were political differences. A unjust law is forced on a minority by a majority who refuses to follow the law itself. For a law to be just, it must apply and be obeyed by majorities and minorities alike. King went beyond discussing and defining justice and injustice; he provided a manual for change. He advocated a path of civil disobedience, but not of reckless law-breaking; according to King, individuals should only break a law if it is truly unjust, and if one’s conscience will not permit obeying it. If someone chose to break a law, he or she must graciously accept whatever penalty or punishment administered by the authorities. The purpose of this type of nonviolent protest was to alert and inspire one’s community to take action. Although he advocated peace, King was not preaching a message of patience. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is pervaded by a sense of urgency that is especially powerful when contrasted against his message of nonviolence. He stated that he, and all who are discriminated against, cannot and should not have to wait for justice – the wait for justice was a great injustice in and of itself. He called upon his followers and admirers to demand their rights, for they would not be willingly given by their oppressors. 15 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is a popular classic among students of language and rhetoric, as well as students of history. It occupies a very unique place on the spectrum of written documents; it is both a private and open letter, a defense and a proclamation, a sermon and manifesto. King masterfully combined the emotion of traditional Negro sermons while maintaining the logic structure of the political world. 16 Famed for his speeches, most notably the “I Have a Dream” speech given at the 1963 March on Washington, King does not lose any of his persuasive power in the written form. He deliberately used rhetorical devices like parallelism, repetition, and theme to make his audience feel, as well as understand, his message. 17 For the full text of the letter, follow this link .

Teachers: The “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” has been adopted by the Common Core curriculum as a crucial document in American history for students to understand, along with the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. To watch a class analyze the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” watch the video below.

For more information: Visit the U.S. History Scene reading list for The Long Civil Rights Movement

Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere

Categories: Discrimination Justice Segregation

About this sample

Words: 664 |

Published: Aug 24, 2023

Words: 664 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Introduction: the essence of justice and its universal implications, the ripple effect of injustice, undermining trust in institutions, social fabric and unity, human rights and moral imperative, a call to action: the power of collective efforts, from awareness to change, conclusion: championing justice as a collective imperative.

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

Expert in: Social Issues Law, Crime & Punishment

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 628 words

5 pages / 2411 words

5 pages / 2217 words

6 pages / 2746 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Justice

The Anna Garcia case presents a complex legal scenario that raises important questions about ethics, justice, and the role of the legal system. By critically analyzing the arguments and exploring multiple perspectives, we have [...]

The concept of juvenile transfer laws, also known as waiver laws, has been a contentious issue within the criminal justice system for decades. These laws permit or mandate the transfer of juvenile offenders to adult court under [...]

Imagine a kingdom where justice is determined not by a judge or jury, but by the whims of a semi-barbaric king. In Frank R. Stockton's short story, "The Lady or the Tiger," we are transported to such a kingdom, where love, [...]

Justice is a central theme in Sophocles' play Antigone. The play revolves around the conflict between the laws of the state and the laws of the gods, and the question of what constitutes true justice. Through the characters' [...]

"Insufficient facts always invite danger" declared Spock to Captain Kirk as the U.S.S. Enterprise was on deep alert after discovering a sleeper cell in space with seventy-two unconscious super-humans inside (Coon, 1967). His [...]

Creating a desire to respect the law is a vital step to building a civilised community. In order for the laws created by the government to be respectable, they must be aligned with our natural laws. St. Thomas Aquinas’ theory of [...]

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

Martin Luther King, Jr. on Justice and the Four Steps to Successful Nonviolent Resistance

By maria popova.

On the day of Dr. King’s arrest, eight male Alabama clergymen issued a public statement directed at him, titled “The Call for Unity,” following a letter penned a few months earlier under the title “An Appeal for Law and Order and Common Sense.” They accused him of being an “outsider” to the community’s cause, suggested that racial injustice in Alabama shouldn’t be his business, and claimed that the nonviolent resistance demonstrations he led were “unwise and untimely.” “We further strongly urge our own Negro community to withdraw support from these demonstrations,” they wrote. It was such a blatant example of the very injustice Dr. King had dedicated his life to eradicating — the hijacking of what should be “common sense” to all in the service of what is “common” and convenient to only those in power — that he felt compelled to respond. The following day, while still in jail, he penned a remarkable book-length open letter. ( “Never before have I written a letter this long,” he marveled as he penned the final paragraphs.)

Aware of the media’s power to incite the popular imagination, King and his team began distributing mimeographed copies to the clergy of Birmingham and eventually made their way to the press. Major newspapers and magazines, including The Atlantic Monthly and The New York Post , published excerpts. The full text was eventually published as Letter from Birmingham City Jail ( public library ) and became not only a foundational text of the American civil rights movement in the 1960s but an enduring manifesto for social justice and the human struggle for equality in every sense of the word, in every corner of the world.

Drawing on his vast pool of intellectual resources — from Socrates to St. Augustine to Thoreau — and his own singular gift for blending the powers of a philosopher, a preacher, and a poet, Dr. King debunks the clergymen’s arguments one by one, beginning with their assertion that the injustice in Birmingham is not his “outsider” business:

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

He outlines the four pillars of nonviolent resistance — which bear a poignant parallel to the four rules for arguing intelligently that philosopher Daniel Dennett would formulate more than half a century later — and writes:

In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: 1) collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive; 2) negotiation; 3) self-purification; and 4) direct action.

In a sentiment that calls to mind Bertrand Russell’s timeless wisdom on the constructive and destructive elements in human nature — “Construction and destruction alike satisfy the will to power,” he wrote in 1926, “but construction is more difficult as a rule, and therefore gives more satisfaction to the person who can achieve it.” — King puts forth the wonderful notion of “creative tension” as a force of constructive action:

Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue… There is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth. Just as Socrates felt it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, we must see the need of having nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men to rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood.

King’s ideas undoubtedly influenced South African writer, freedom-fighter, and Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer when, a decade later, she contemplated the role of the writer as precisely such a gadfly on the back of injustice — something King further illuminates when he adds:

We who engage in non-violent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured as long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its pus-flowing ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must likewise be exposed, with all of the tension its exposing create, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured.

He considers why such nonviolent instigation of “creative tension” is vital to the claiming of freedom:

History is the long and tragic story of the fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may see the moral light and give up their unjust posture; but … groups are more immoral than individuals. We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

He zooms in on the accusation of untimeliness and, arguing that “justice too long delayed is justice denied,” and puts in poignant perspective the relativity of timeliness:

I guess it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, “Wait.” But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; … when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Fun-town is closed to colored children, and see depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by unconsciously developing a bitterness toward white people; … when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness” — then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of injustice where they experience the bleakness of corroding despair.

Indeed, he argues that at the root of the clergymen’s accusations is a profound misconception of time. Time, as we know, is a human invention that Galileo perfected ; like all technology, it is a neutral tool that can be bent to wills good and evil, put toward ends constructive and destructive — something King captures beautifully:

All this … grows out of a tragic misconception of time that will inevitably cure all ills. Actually time is neutral. It can be used either destructively or constructively. I am coming to feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than the people of good will. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people. We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of men willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy, and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift out national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.

He goes on to explore the expatiation of the legal system for the unjust ends of those in power:

There are two types of laws: There are just and unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that “an unjust law is no law at all.” … An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. To use the words of Martin Buber, the Jewish philosopher, segregation substitutes an “I-it” relationship for an “I-thou” relationship and ends up relegating persons to the status of things. So segregation is not only politically, economically and sociologically unsound, but it is morally wrong… […] An unjust law is a code that a majority inflicts on a minority group that is not binding on itself. This is difference made legal. On the other hand, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal.

In a sense, contemporary popular culture is built on the same foundation as unjust law — on the warping of sameness and difference, which Shonda Rhimes addressed with extraordinary elegance of insight in her Human Rights Campaign award acceptance speech . To King, indeed, the law should be reclaimed as an ally to the populace in its diverse totality rather than a formalized system of objectifying people. He sees nonviolent resistance not as a way to destroy the law but as a way to normalize it:

In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law… That would lead to anarchy. One who breaks an unjust law must do it openly, lovingly, … and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law.

But the law, of course, cannot and should not be separate from the social forces that support it. In one of his most poignant remarks in the letter, which resonates all the more deeply in our present culture where impenitent reaction has replaced considered response and become the seedbed of misunderstanding, King adds:

Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

Letter from Birmingham City Jail remains an indispensable read for any thinking, feeling member of the human family. Complement it with Einstein’s little-known correspondence with W.E.B. Du Bois on race and racial justice and Margaret Mead on the root of racism and how to counter it .

Thank you, Jacqueline

— Published March 18, 2015 — https://www.themarginalian.org/2015/03/18/martin-luther-king-letter-from-birmingham-city-jail/ —

www.themarginalian.org

PRINT ARTICLE

Email article, filed under, books culture letters martin luther king politics, view full site.

The Marginalian participates in the Bookshop.org and Amazon.com affiliate programs, designed to provide a means for sites to earn commissions by linking to books. In more human terms, this means that whenever you buy a book from a link here, I receive a small percentage of its price, which goes straight back into my own colossal biblioexpenses. Privacy policy . (TLDR: You're safe — there are no nefarious "third parties" lurking on my watch or shedding crumbs of the "cookies" the rest of the internet uses.)

Dr. King's Legacy

Decent Housing
Better Jobs & Higher Wages
Quality Education
50 Voices for 50 Years
50 Weeks of Action Archive

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” – Letter from a Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963.

Justice is a concept that touched every facet of the Civil Rights Movement. From the broad notion of “doing the right thing” to more specific legislative measures, justice was, quite simply, the driving force of the entire Movement.

From the earliest days of the Civil Rights Movement, justice – and the lack of it – caused the first instances of action and peaceful protest. One of the most famous examples of the early fights for justice comes from December 1, 1955.

After a long day of working as a seamstress, Rosa Parks got on a bus to go home. The bus driver demanded that she move to the back of the bus to make room for white passengers. Her refusal to move from her seat caused her arrest, and sparked Dr. King’s participation in the start of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

In his first public speech following Parks’ arrest, Dr. King charged the African American community with their role in the boycott, reminding them that it was a small sacrifice of money and convenience to fight for a greater cause. As he closed the speech, Dr. King said:

And I won't rest; I will face intimidation, and everything else, along with these other stalwart fighters for democracy and for citizenship. We don't mind it, so long as justice comes out of it. And I've come to see now that as we struggle for our rights, maybe some of them will have to die. But somebody said, if a man doesn't have something that he'll die for, he isn't fit to live.

Justice through Journalism

Coming April 2017 is a yearlong, nonprofit reporting project about economic justice centered on Dr. King’s focus in his last years: fair wages, good jobs, affordable and safe housing, thriving black businesses and justice. Share compelling storytelling, videos and interactive graphics. Help us draft a bold commitment we can all sign and specific action steps we can all take in pursuit of economic equality. For more information visit mlk50.com.

Justice For All

Daily life in the Jim Crow South exemplified the struggle African Americans faced. Arbitrary laws, ignorant social norms, and segregation – of schools, buses, bathrooms, drinking fountains, businesses, and more – hindered justice and equality.

Sadly, the pursuit of justice was often met with resistance and, sometimes, violence. Scenes from Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 are etched in our history books and minds. These signs of oppression, with the use of fire hoses and police dogs, showed that even peaceful protests in the name of justice were met with an adamant unwillingness to change.

In the same year, Dr. King penned his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, which showed his determination to keep fighting, even as he was subjected to the unfairness of the nation’s criminal justice system:

We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was 'well timed' in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word 'Wait!' It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This 'Wait' has almost always meant 'Never.' We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that 'justice too long delayed is justice denied.'

Challenging The Legal System

The fight against racial injustice came about in many forms throughout the Civil Rights Movement. Every march, peaceful protest, sit-in, and campaign was driven by the hope of “liberty and justice for all.”

Dr. King acted as the face and voice of the Civil Rights Movement, meeting with our nation’s leaders to enact real change. The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was one such achievement, where it became illegal to discriminate a person based on their gender, race, color, or place of origin in the workforce, schools, and other public institutions.

This and subsequent laws transformed the legal implications for racist, sexist, and xenophobic actions that limited the rights and freedom of so many.

See Veda Ajamu's powerful story of advocating for criminal justice reform and fair sentencing.

Veda gave us a vivid look at how her family has struggled to stay connected to her brother, Robert, during his decades in the Federal prison system in this podcast episode of The Permanent Record.

Back to portfolio

Better Jobs - Higher Wages
Our Stories
Criminal Justice

How Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Changed My Life

Dr. King kneels outside of the Albany, GA courthouse.

How Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Changed My Life

Tita beal anntares.

After seeing Dr. King and many others get arrested for kneeling in Albany and after volunteering my summer in Fayette County to build a community center, I recognized the discrimination and injustices in this country. Ever since, I've worked to fight for justice.

I was about 17 in a small, rural town in Connecticut watching CBS Eyewitness News when the camera showed many people praying with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. for first class citizen rights for all Americans regardless of color, creed or national origins. They were on the steps of the Albany, GA courthouse. The steps were covered with kneeling people. The police scooped them up and put them in jail. Another wave of praying Americans from many different backgrounds replaced them. They were scooped up for jail. Wave after wave went to jail just to give all Americans equal rights. Including Rev. King.

A few months later, an elderly white Quaker, Virgie Hortenstine and a tall black preacher, Rev. June Dowdy (a man from Somerville, Fayette County TN) came to my college to tell us about people trying to register to vote - not even able to vote, just registering - despite knowing they would be evicted from their homes if they rented or sharecropped and put on a list that would bar them from entering stores, getting medical services from local doctors (they had to go to Memphis), and from buying gas for their cars. Rev. Dowdy asked us to "put your body where your mouth is" - spring break 1963 was coming up and I joined 5 other volunteer work campers, 4 white and 1 black high school student who later was killed in Vietnam. We piled into a van to drive day and night to Fayette County from Philadelphia and New York, via Cincinnati where we picked up Virgie Hortenstine - and we were greeted with an abundant meal of black eyed peas and ham hocks at the home of Rev. Dowdy with his wife and little children.

I and the other work campers helped lay bricks for a community center sponsored by the Original Fayette County Civic and Welfare League. Carpenter John Harris taught us the skills. Each of us stayed in a home with people whose families had kept ownership of their homes since Reconstruction so they could not be evicted. I stayed with Mr. Harris and his wife Fanny.

We were watched by the White Citizens Council from a little shack - the sunlight sparkled on the butt of a gun aimed at us. But no trouble. As we worked on the community center, after a few days, an old white farmer who had been watching us from his porch came over to us and asked if we were communists. We spoke gently with him about our commitment to the ideas and values of Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the meaning of "all men (defined as human beings) are created equal" and "of-by-for the people" and in Matthew 25.

The voting rights struggle in Fayette and Haywood counties started in the 50s by African American WWII veterans like John McFerren and others, long before the civil rights movement was in the news and before the presence of news media gave some protection from the violence of my insecure white brethren. At Memphis University's Benjamin Hooks Institute for Social Change, you can see photos, hear audio interviews, read documents and see videos of the courageous people who stood up for first class citizenship for all Americans, some of them the poorest of the poor who risked everything for equal rights, justice and plain old simple fairness.

Thanks to Rev. King and others praying for equal rights for all Americans and to the two people going to colleges to recruit volunteers to help build a community center, my life was totally changed. I went back to my home in the North, saw housing discrimination, unequal resources for schools in poor and wealthy communities, hidden job discrimination, and after M. Alexander's book "The New Jim Crow." In addition to taking regular jobs to support myself and my family, I tried to do what I could - from testing housing discrimination by going to look at apartments right after a black family went to see if they were told the apartment had been rented and I was welcomed, volunteer work at after school centers, and serving as election inspector during Obama's two elections. Minor actions compared with Rev. King's total commitment knowing he might be killed for his faith in God and in American values...

...but more than nothing if all of us do at least something.

- Tita Beal Anntares

Week 39: Peace - A Ripple of Hope: Remembering Robert F. Kennedy

On June 4, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated, two months after Dr. King's assassination. Historians believe the combination of these two deaths was a "capstone to a year marked by angry demonstrations, political violence, and a degree of polarization that foreshadowed the dark divisions of our own time."

believe the combination of these two deaths was a "capstone to a year marked by angry demonstrations, political violence, and a degree of polarization that foreshadowed the dark divisions of our own time."(1)

Robert F. Kennedy Campaign. Photo Courtesy of APR

Peniel Joseph, " RFK's Legacy Is Still Alive Today ," CNN, June 5, 2018.
Eric Holder, " Remarks by Attorney General Eric Holder Announcing His Plans to Depart Justice Department ," The United States Department of Justice, September 25, 2014.
To learn more about Robert F. Kennedy's legacy 50 years later, listen to this WBUR podcast .

Photo courtesy of APR.

Congressman Joe Kennedy III, grandson to RFK, paid tribute in early June 2018. "In shadows, in the background, in the quiet spaces that rarely sought or got attention, Robert Kennedy found the arteries of our American heart, and he said to those forgotten, 'Your country sees you. Your country values you. American would not be American without you' . . . He was human and willing to be vulnerable. It was his greatest gift to give." View the full speech .
One of the most important things we can do in the fight for equality is to participate through voting. There is a national mid-term election in November. Have you registered to vote? Learn how to register . Your voice matters, and every single vote counts!

someone you know born in 1968 when Dr. King and Senator Kennedy were assassinated? Did it urge you to try and create the change that both these men stood for and died trying to do?

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--Peace---A-Ripple-of-Hope--Remembering-Robert-F--Kennedy.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=pRf44pigsaI

Week 38: Quality Education - The Importance of Youth Activism

An incredible part of the African American Civil Rights journey is the important role that young activists have to play - activists that are younger than the age of 18.

of the African American Civil Rights journey is the important role that young activists have to play - activists that are younger than the age of 18. Thousands of young people were drawn into the Movement, participating in meetings and marches while risking imprisonment, and in some cases, death. Some were active participants who made the choice to stand up for freedom, while others were unsuspecting victims of bias and racism, like Emmett Till (lynched at the age of 14) or the four girls killed in the 1963 bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church (Denise McNair, 11; Addie Mae Collins, 14; Cynthia Wesley, 14; Carole Robertson, 14). In the past and present, the involvement of youth, willing and unwilling, has made tremendous strides in stirring this nation to action . They are powerful drivers of change within their communities. of young activists that answered the call are Claudette Colvin, who was arrested at the age of Countless children were at the forefront of the battle for school desegregation, beginning with students as young as Ruby Bridges who, at age six, integrated William Frantz Elementary School in 1960, or Melba Pattillo and the Little Rock Nine. Pattillo was 14 years old when she chose to integrate Central High School. She had acid thrown in her face when one segregationist attempted to blind her. The Greensboro Four, David Richmond, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair, Jr., and Joseph McNeil, were all young Black students who launched the Woolworth Sit-Ins in 1960, a catalyst to the sit-in movement and the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Thousands of children participated in the marches and arrests for the cause of integration and equality, facing high-pressure water hoses, attack dogs, and police with clubs. Freeman Hrabowski was only 12 years old when he marched for better education. While he was in jail, Dr. King came to visit him and the other children marchers. Hrabowski recalls him saying, "What you do this day will impact children who have not been born." [2] C. Virginia Fields was marching at 17 in 1953. She later reflected on her experience, "We were teenagers, and we had already seen so much. We knew this had to change. My church was bombed. My pastor's home was bombed. We wanted a better life. This started me on a path and believing that using my voice, I can make a difference." [3]

Greg Timmons, "Black History Month: How Black Youth Impacted the Civil Rights Movement," Biography.com, 28 February 2016, https://www.biography.com/news/african-american-youth-civil-rights-movement.
Denise Stewart, "Children's March 1963: A Defiant Moment," The Root, 01 May 2013, https://www.theroot.com/childrens-march-1963-a-defiant-moment-1790896253.
Stewart, "Children's March 1963: A Defiant Moment."
Lottie L. Joiner, "How Children of Birmingham Changed the Civil Rights Movement," Daily Beast, 02 May 2013, https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-the-children-of-birmingham-changed-the-civil-rights-movement.
Erin Blakemore, "Youth in Revolt: Five Powerful Movements Fueled by Young Activists," National Geographic, 23 March 2018, https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/youth-activism-young-protesters-historic-movements/.
Kay Steiger, "10 of America's Most Daring Young Black Activists", The Nation, 03 March 2011, https://www.thenation.com/article/10-americas-most-daring-young-black-activists/.
Watch Project C: The Children's March with your family, and discuss what equality means to you.
Read and watch Malala's story . How can you participate in a worldwide movement for equal education of women?

library and check out by Cynthia Levinson or for an interactive read aloud from MaiStoryBook. This book is about a courageous girl who marched in the Children's Crusades in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. . is a video of Malala talking about why she wrote this book and is a read aloud of the book. and High School Students) of Malala Yousafzai speaking to the United NationsYouth Assembly on July 12, 2013. She spoke about equal opportunities for all children to receive a free education. Read (Young Readers Edition). or watch . . against guns and gun Why couldn't their parents stand up for change?

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--Quality-Education--The-Importance-of-Youth-Activism-.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=j6MjGtm79Bk

Week 37: Decent Housing - Connecting Neighborhoods

It's no secret that neighborhoods with abundant economic resources and businesses have better schools, more job opportunities, less crime and thrive on government-funded developments. It's also no secret that you can find the poorly funded schools and closed businesses in urban neighborhoods with people of color.

" Experts say connection between crime and poverty is complex ," by Alan Burdziak. The Columbia Daily Tribune. February 7, 2017.
" Fair Housing Act ," History.com
" HUD Secretary Ben Carson to propose raising rent for low-income Americans receiving federal housing subsidies ," by Tracy Jan, Caitlin Dewey and Jeff Stein. The Washington Post , April 25, 2018.
Learn what you can do if you are discriminated against. Get vital information on maintaining your credit and finances with the National Fair Housing Alliance.
Visit the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development's website for more information on fair housing initiatives, programs and funding.

difference. Share your story.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--Week-37-Decent-Housing-.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=vydujhR1Erk

Week 36: Poverty Since MLK

As we look toward commemorating the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's death, it is important to look at the status of economic equity in the last 50 years, since that was his critical focus towards the end of his life. details how African Americans and the poor have fared in Memphis and Shelby County over the past 50 years much like "The Kerner Report" did 50 years ago. Many things have changed for minorities in America; some for the better, and some for the worse.

The childhood poverty rate for African American children is more than four times greater than that for whites.
The rate of poverty for African Americans in 2016 has fallen from its peak in 1960. However, African American poverty rates are two and a half times higher than that of whites.
Bachelor's degree achievement for African Americans has also increased from 1.2% in 1950 to nearly 20% in 2016.
Median income for African Americans has stubbornly remained at approximately 50% of income for whites for the past half century.
The incarceration rate for African Americans has increased 50% since 1980, while the incarceration rate for whites has fallen slightly. This local data also mirrors the national data for incarceration rates.

" The Poverty Report: Memphis Since MLK ," by Dr. Elena Delavega. National Civil Rights Museum with University of Memphis Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change. February 27, 2018.
The Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disobedience , March 1, 1968. The Eisenhower Foundation.
" Fifty years after the Kerner Commission, a new report cites some of the same concerns about race and poverty ," by Vanessa Williams. The Washington Post . February 26, 2018.
Watch the recorded panel discussion at the National Civil Rights Museum's Poverty Forum to hear ideas that can impact cities like Memphis.
Read the " Top 10 Solutions to Cut Poverty and Grow the Middle Class " posted by the Center for American Progress.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--Poverty-Since-MLK.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=tcu1LiyMsV4

Week 35: Better Jobs - The Strike for Better Working Conditions

It was a stormy day, on February 1, 1968 in Memphis when two African-American sanitation workers seeking refuge from the rain were crushed in the malfunctioning trash compactor of their garbage truck .

February 1, 1968 in Memphis when two African-American sanitation workers seeking refuge from the rain were crushed in the malfunctioning trash compactor of their garbage truck . An e yewitness to the deaths of Robert Walker, 30, and Echol Cole, 36, t old the Memphis , "I saw one of the men towards the edge. He almost made it out, but his clothing got caught on the compressor and the truck just swallowed him in." 1 Their deaths sparked the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike.

the accident could have been avoided . The same truck had been previously reported faulty. Better working conditions became a focus for the Sanitation Workers Strike , along with equal pay, union recognition and the resounding mantra of respect, "I AM A MAN."

with the Vanguard Image Award by the NAACP at the National Civil Rights Museum on January 9, 2018.

Interested in joining a union or gaining knowledge on organizing? Check out t he American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees' ( AFSCME ) website for information on training and local chapters in your area.
February 12, 2018 marks 50 years since the Memphis sanitation workers went on strike, demanding better working conditions and better wages. In commemoration of the anniversary, join us in Memphis for AFSCME's "I AM 2018 50th Anniversary of Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike and March" on April 4. Be a part of all of the commemorative events in Memphis on April 2-4. Visit AFSCME's I AM 2018 site and our MLK50 site for more events and information.

Have you ever seen something that seemed unjust or unfair to a certain group of people? If so, would you be willing to "stand up" and change it?
What was it that seemed unjust or unfair? What action can you take to make a difference ?
What are some of the reasons it would be difficult to go on strike? What are the consequences of continuing a strike for over eight weeks? What did the Sanitation workers have to lose? What did they have to gain?
Why was it so important that Dr. King came to Memphis during the Sanitation Strike?
How did Dr. King coming to participate in this protest show his courage?
What happens in a community when the trash is not picked up? Why might we refer to the Sanitation Workers as "heroes?"

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--Better-Jobs--The-Strike-for-Better-Working-Conditions-.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=bawQ9j9fMf8

Week 34: Addressing Poverty - Poor People's Campaign

By 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) believed there were major achievements in the battle for civil rights stunted by poor living conditions that many African Americans systemically endured. In the summer of 1967, Dr. King visited Marks, MS, one of the poorest areas in the country, and decided it was time for a national poor people's movement.

there were major achievements in the battle for civil rights stunted by poor living conditions that many African Americans systemically endured. In the summer of 1967, Dr. King visited Marks, MS, one of the poorest areas in the country, and decided it was time for a national poor people's movement. It was time for America to acknowledge the plight of the poor and for the U.S. government to take action. Dr. King and the SCLC announced the Poor People's Campaign on December 4, 1967. Thousands caravanned by mule and train to Washington to stand for equal employment, fair wages and to create an economic Bill of Rights.

If you are unable to attend the Moral Monday's in Memphis on January 22, you can catch it live-streamed on our website .
Find out more about the New Poor People's Campaign and how you can contribute.
Locate organizations in your city whose mission is helping families and people who've lost financially stability to get back on their feet by volunteering your time & services to help them. You can start with these list of 99 Great Organizations Confronting Poverty & Hunger and find some where you reside.

Here are a few ideas to get you started serving people in your community:
Visit to find a local soup kitchen that you and your family or friends can volunteer at this winter. Bring an adult with you when you deliver food. Remember to bring a fork and a napkin, too. (Restaurants usually give away plastic sets if you order food to-go or if you ask for them.) If you buy a fleece, you can make new blankets. Click for instructions. If you see people are sleeping on the street, they could use those blankets to stay warm. If a parent can go with you, collect from people in your community. You could also ask your teacher or school principal if you can set up a coat donation box at your school.
with friends or family. Click the link below to print off your bingo card. Set a goal of completing a card every month. Each time you complete a card, plan something fun as a reward for your efforts. Post pictures of your completed cards on our Facebook page to share how you serves your fellow man .

difference?

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--Addressing-Poverty--The-Poor-People-s-Campaign.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=Twih6bRYJGM

Week 33: Educational Equity - Part 2: Quality Schools

While education may not be a "fundamental right" under the Constitution, the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment requires that when a state establishes a public school system, no child living in that state may be denied equal access to schooling.

accountability . With the help of key policies, the responsibility of ensuring each child receives a quality education rests not only with government, but also with the educators, administrators, parents and communities . 1 . 2 engage parents and community in school partnerships . 3

Be problem-focused and user-centered
Focus on variation in performance
See the system that produces the current outcomes
Embrace measurement
Learn through disciplined inquiry
Organize as networks. 4
Check out the museum's Learn page to see educational learning opportunities at the National Civil Rights Museum for students and educators.
Share your ideas for getting involved with your local school to improve the quality of education for students on our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group page.

er thought about the idea that you have a right to a great education? It is a right that belongs to all U.S. citizens, thanks to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--Education-Equity---Part-2.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=KTvWArpnUnY

Week 32: Education Equity - Part One: Funding

During the 1950s, the Civil Rights Movement celebrated a milestone with the passage of Brown v. Board of Education which ruled segregated schools were unconstitutional for discriminating against students of color.

which ruled segregated schools were unconstitutional for discriminating against students of color. The fight for access to quality education continued decades later and required the passage of Title I (1965), Title IX (1972) and other laws to ensure adequate funding. However, discrimination against race, sex or class persisted de facto. Today, we are still dealing with education inequities that divide those who live in poverty from affluent households, creating an educational divide between the haves and the have-nots. 1 found that 45% of high-poverty schools received less state and local funding than was typical for other schools in their district. 2 perspective on how we can deal with the disparities in education today and how we all can play a role in achieving equity so that all children can benefit from a quality education.

In the video above, Jaclyn Suffel shared her thoughts on how we can help level the playing field for education equity. Check out the next school board election schedule in your area and learn about the candidates and their platforms.
Discover different ways to advocate for justice and share them with us on our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group page.


	Linda Brown, Age 8. Photo: Emaze.com


	Thurgood Marshall (middle) celebrates victory in Photo: History.com

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--Education-Equity---Part-1.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=G1rjLqh-8JM

Week 31: Better Jobs: Two-Year vs. Four-Year Higher Education

Whether you are just graduating from high school or looking for a stable career, choosing between a two-year or four-year educational program is a complicated decision.

Education
Listed below are a few explanations on why a two-year or a four-year college may be the best path to take, depending on the individual. benefit of a four-year university is that it holds a perception of prestige when applying for jobs in many fields. In addition , four-year schools offer a variety of courses allowing students to develop more than one skill set, adding versatility to their resume and potentially more job opportunities. A bachelor's degree may hold more weight on the salary scale in many professions and there's more opportunities for growth and increasing pay. While attending a four-year college yields great benefits in the job market, it also gives the full college experience where you can network and join social clubs that can develop relationships benefitting you professionally for life such as: business fraternities, fraternities and sororities in general, student government and business organizations/clubs. One benefit of a two-year college is that tuition is less expensive than a four-year college, especially since high school graduates can now attend two-year colleges tuition-free through the America's College Promise Act of 2017. Also, two-year colleges and trade schools often provide skills that land jobs quicker after obtaining an associate's degree than four-year universities. Some jobs obtained by those who attend two-year colleges are in very high-demand and have attractive salaries like those listed in the image below. However, the opportunity for career growth and substantial salary increase throughout an entire career may be limited with only an Associates degree.
You Need to Get the Job! and find out which community colleges in your state offers this incentive. for ideas on choosing the best field of study for the job that you want. .

. You may choose a school where they teach you a skill that would be useful in a career. You may or may not need to go to college to learn this skill. A teaches a certain skill set for doing a job. You may choose a , a school that gives you the skills needed for a career in two years with an associate's degree. You may choose a , a school that requires at least four years to graduate with a bachelor's degree. After graduating college, you can extend your education further with a , where you can earn a master's degree or a doctorate degree.

Listen to the audiobook . This book is about a mouse that goes to college and graduates. The author, John Lithgow, is reading his book to students who are graduating from college. created by Federal Student Aid. Go to your local library and check out the book T by Blake Nemelka and Bo Nemelka. school? Do you want your school to offer certain classes or a certain major? Go to your local library to check out and use to help you "Find Your Dream School."

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--31--Two-Year-vs--Four-Year-Higher-Education-.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=bfrk-AoD15o

Bell Tolling Commemoration

Thank you Mr. Johnson for your service to our country and for your participation in the MLK Jr. Commemoration.

JCI Symposium on Social Equality

Ed bryant, written remarks.

“I am an invisible man. No I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe. Nor am I one of your Hollywood movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids – and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, simply because people refuse to see me.”

This is the first line from one of my favorite books -Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison.

I was asked to talk a little about what motivates me to do the work I do. First, let me briefly describe what my organization, the St. Louis Minority Business Council, does. Basically, we are a non-profit economic development organization that is dedicated to creating a climate in the business community that will make purchasing from Minority Business Entrepreneurs (MBEs) a normal corporate practice. We work to create a user-friendly business climate that will increase business opportunities for minority firms as well as enhance economic development in the bi-state region.

Now a little bit about what motivates me to do this work…

I was born and raised in Memphis, TN and one of my first memories was the events of the spring of 1968.

February 1, 1968, Memphis, TN. The Memphis press covered the birth announcement of Lisa Marie Pressley, who was born at 5:01 pm. Also, that same day Echol Cole and Robert Walker were pronounced dead at John Gaston Hospital.

I would guess that many of you have heard of Lisa Marie Presley, but not many have heard of Echol Cole and Robert Walker.

The bodies of Mr. Cole and Mr. Walker were crushed in the back of a garbage compressor truck that malfunctioned while they sought shelter from the rain. City rules did not allow them to seek shelter from rain anywhere but the back of their trucks.

The death of these two men led to the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike. The “I Am a Man” posters from that strike are now iconic symbols of the civil rights movement and summed up the basic message behind the movement, that is very similar to the “black lives matter” movement of today.

What these sanitation workers were saying was that they were human beings and worthy of being treated with the same dignity as any other person, regardless of their skin color.

If you know your history, you know that Dr. King came to Memphis during that spring to support these workers in their quest to be recognized as deserving of basic human rights and dignity.

One ideal that was a basis for much of Dr. King’s work was, what he referred to as the “Beloved Community.” One of his ministry goals was to create a “beloved community.” He said this would “require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives.”

This new place/community would be a place where new relations come into being between the oppressed and the oppressor, the powerful and the powerless. It would be characterized by redemption and reconciliation, where we live together as “brothers in a community, and not continually live with bitterness and friction.” He concluded that within the beloved community “poverty, hunger, homeless are not tolerated because our standards of human decency and flourishing will not tolerate it.”

I believe one of the best ways to combat community poverty and economic disparities is through helping minority businesses to expand and grow. I believe that if we can build a more equitable regional economy, the entire region will benefit. But it begins with seeing the “invisible.”

In a song to support the RED campaign to fight against AIDS in Africa, the boys from Dublin - U2 – released a song that proclaims the same sentiment of seeing those who are seemingly invisible, but who as Ellison would put it have “substance, of flesh and bone, of fiber and liquids.” I would conclude with the chorus from the song:

I’m more than you know

I’m more than you see here

More than you let me be

A body in a soul

You don’t see me but you will

I am not invisible

A Song to Remember

Wayne harris.

I was sitting in the modest congregation at Unity Santa Fe as the choir director, Catherine, began a powerful rendition of We Shall Overcome, a tribute to the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the day before the 2018 national holiday honoring him. Her voice evoked a quiet passion, as if she was telling a story that had been recited many times yet was still unrealized. As quick as she began singing, my mind journeyed back almost 50 years, where I saw myself in my childhood home in East Memphis, the evening of April 4, 1968. Within an instant, my eyes began to tear up. Though I was doing everything I could to be present to the music, spirit made clear that it was taking me where it wanted to go regardless how much I resisted.

My family had finished dinner and we were all in the middle of the den floor playing a board game. I was ten years old. My sister was eight and my brothers were six and four. The scene playing out in my head was one of laughter and light hearted banter as each player tossed the dice and counted off their game piece moving forward. A knock on the kitchen door interrupted our family time and my father was first on his feet to see who it was.

“It’s Mickey with the dry cleaning. Honey, get my wallet for me?” Our game came to a halt as my mother headed for their bedroom. Mr. Green came into the den with his delivery in hand and asked my father, “Have you seen the news tonight?”

Draping the clothes over a chair, my father replied, “No, the television hasn’t been on at all.” About that time my mother came back with the wallet and counted out what was owed Mr. Green. Though his back was to me, I heard Mr. Green tell my parents, “Martin Luther King was assassinated this afternoon and downtown Memphis is on fire. There are riots in the streets. And the National Guard is being called up.”

My mother gasped and my father headed toward the television. Mr. Green stopped him, saying “Don’t turn it on with the kids in here.” As they reconvened near the kitchen, I could see their mouths moving though I heard no sounds. I remember sitting on the floor imagining tanks rolling up my street and flames appearing in the sky just a block or so from our house. I had no idea who Mr. King was, or why his being assassinated meant downtown was burning. Truth was, I had no clue what assassinated or rioting meant; and I wasn’t sure where downtown was. Nevertheless, I could sense from the looks on their faces that this was bad. Really, really bad.

Hearing the vocal power of Catherine's voice brought me back to the present as she sang, “We walk hand in hand.” I could tell she was in the moment, clearly seeing the vision of togetherness and knowing within her heart that the day was sure to come. Tears again started down my cheeks, as I recalled the day in 1987 when I first visited The Lorraine Motel, where Dr. King was killed. I was there to handle the single task of measuring the window size of the room adjacent to Dr. King’s room where an architectural model of a proposed National Civil Rights Museum was to be placed. The powerful, childhood images from that night in our den, along with the countless photos and news stories I’d seen over the years, raced through my mind as I made the short trip from the office. I was more than a little nervous as I drove into the parking lot. The building was not in the best of shape and the area around it was considered by many to be dangerous. I kept reminding myself that I was safe, having driven most every street in the surrounding miles of downtown many times over the last couple of years as a planning coordinator for the Memphis Center City Commission.

The woman in charge of the project at the Commission had told me to go to the motel’s front desk and ask for Jackie. She warned me that Jackie was not in favor of the museum project and could be harsh to Center City staffers. “Don’t let her antagonize you.” I opened the door to the office where a few people were conversing in a small seating area, however, no one was at the desk. Someone called for Jackie and she appeared through a door behind the counter, “You must be from the Center City Commission.” I replied that I was and after introducing myself, I asked if it was a good time for her to let me in the room. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jacqueline Smith. Now is fine.” She reached for a set of keys as she came around the desk telling no one in particular that she would be back shortly.

As we walked the short distance to a stairway, I had a sense of sadness run up my spine seeing a simple wreath of fading artificial greenery and white flowers hanging on the door to Room 306, which was where Dr. King was staying while he was in town for the Memphis Sanitation Worker’s protest march. There was no talk between us as we walked past his room to number 307. Jackie opened the door and stepped off to the side. I thanked her and walked in to measure the window, the size of the room, and the width and height of the entry door. It only took a couple minutes and as I walked out of the room I thanked her again for her time. As she locked the door she asked if I was from Memphis and if I remembered when Dr. King was assassinated. I told her I did, and as a 10 year old boy from East Memphis I never imagined I would be outside his room, standing on the balcony where he died. In that moment there was a distinct change in the space between us and I felt a connection beginning to form.

Jackie turned from the door, took my hand and moved along the balcony towards Dr. King’s room where she steered me gently down to my knees. She guided my hand to a dark stain on the surface and softly rubbed my palm on the rough concrete walkway. “This is where Dr. King fell when he was shot and the stain is his blood that was never completely cleaned.” Immediately I felt a bolt of lightning run through my spine and my eyes began pouring tears. I couldn’t speak. Jackie said nothing and kept holding my hand as I attempted to regain some composure. She helped me to my feet and in a soft voice asked, “Would you like to go inside Dr. King’s room?”

Still unable to speak, I nodded a yes, and we moved towards Room 306. I looked back over my right shoulder at the stained concrete again, doing my best to deal with everything that was happening in my head, my heart and my body. As the door opened and we walked inside there was a distinct sense of a very welcoming spirit that seemed to wrap around us. The room was small with two beds on the left as we entered; a dresser on the right with a small television on top; and the bathroom straight ahead at the rear. There was a musty smell in the air. The beds were a bit disheveled and Jackie quietly told me, “The room is the same as the day Dr. King died, other than all his personal belongings were removed.” I’m not sure how long we were in the room, all time seemed to stop while we were inside. At some point we walked out, she locked the door and we moved toward the stairway. Neither of us spoke again until we were downstairs at the lobby door. She told me to give her a call if I needed any other measurements and I thanked her for the special tour, though no words could express the gratitude I felt for the experiences she had blessed me with that day.

Returning again to the sanctuary, Catherine’s voice was resounding throughout the room with an expression of beauty and peace. I noticed a woman, sitting a few rows in front of me and across the center aisle, wiping away tears. Another woman a couple of seats away from me was sitting stationary with her eyes closed, as was a man in the row in front of her. They also had tears streaming down their cheeks and I wondered if it was the song or the remembrance of Dr. King that was touching their hearts. Catherine was passionately in the moment and the pianist was hitting the keys with a new fervor. The sanctuary was filled with sound and it was clear that every individual in the room was having their own unique experience. For me, the next images that came through were far from beautiful and peaceful. I hesitated for a moment. I knew that I could always stay with the music, however, I took a deep breath and again went back to Memphis.

It was not long after my visit to the Lorraine that I found myself in the bathroom where James Earl Ray fired the fatal shot. An urban pioneer artist had purchased the building and created a massive studio and gallery space for his work, as well as a living area for him and his wife. I had met him once or twice at South Main Arts District meetings, and was stopping by to deliver some documents for an upcoming South Main residents meeting. After I arrived he filled me in on the history of the building which, of course, brought the Lorraine visit with Jackie front and center in my head. I was stunned when he suggested I take a look out the window where the killer took aim, and yet at the time, I felt I couldn’t refuse. I fought back all sorts of emotions as I looked across the street to the balcony, seeing the wreath still hanging on the door of Room 306. The image in my mind of Dr. King laying on the concrete while people were pointing in the direction of the window became too much for me to handle. After only a few moments I moved away from the window and hastily left the bathroom; somehow managing to say goodbye and make it to my car before sobbing like a child.

Going back and forth between the music and memories had brought me to the edge of a total breakdown. Thankfully, Catherine began singing “We are not afraid,” with her voice filled with a fearless resolve, reminding us all that we have the power to choose love. As I listened, a much needed calm came over me, just in time for another visit back. This part of the journey took place in the late 1990’s, while I was in Memphis to visit family and friends. I had been living in Dallas for some time, and I decided that a visit to the now completed National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel was overdue. I’d driven through the South Main area a number of times on other visits since the museum opened in 1991, however, I never made the time. Admittedly, it was mostly because I was afraid of how I would respond in public.

Even though I’d seen the Museum’s website and was familiar with some of the key exhibits from my time at the Center City Commission, I had no idea what the experience was going to be like as I parked and approached the entrance. Looking up as I opened the door, I noticed a large white wreath, with a spray of red roses across the top, now hanging on the railing in front of Room 306. The minute I moved from the lobby into the exhibit space I felt all my resistance subside and a power-filled resolve come over me.

I recall the transit bus that visitors would enter and be met with demands that “Negroes go to the back of the bus.” It played in my head for weeks, as did the lunch counter exhibit. There my heart pounded while experiencing the harshest screams blasting me as I sat on a stool at the counter, “Get out. We don’t serve niggers here.” The N-word has always been a source of anguish for me and was particularly hurtful that day. I had heard it over and again during my junior year of high school and every time it felt wrong. My senior year was to be the first year of court ordered bussing in Memphis, and more than half my junior class graduated early and attended summer school so as not to be bussed to an inner-city school or be with black students attending our school. The racism I experienced from many of those graduating early was unbelievable. Thankfully, despite being accepted at two private schools, I convinced my family to let me attend my public high school for my senior year. It was a most fulfilling educational experience that I will never forget.

Finally I arrived at the exhibit of Room 306, viewed through a glass wall looking straight at the two beds. I could feel my heart beating harder and faster as I neared the glass wall. I kept telling myself not to faint. Filled with anticipation, I looked into the room and found it was almost exactly as I had seen it the day Jackie had opened the door and we walked inside. So many emotions were running A Song to Remember Wayne Harris February 13, 2018 5 through me as I stood there in quiet sorrow. Suddenly, I felt an arm move around my waist and a hand coming to rest on mine. As I turned I saw a beautiful black woman, dressed like she had just come from a church service. My eyes locked onto hers, and smiling she whispered, “It still gets me too every time I come here. I just can’t believe he is gone but I feel so close to him whenever I stand here.” I was desperate to tell her my story, though somehow it seemed right to stand with her and accept the words of comfort and connection. We were, after all, joined as one in that moment.

Later as I walked to my car, I noticed a small table across the street with a blue tarp over it and a bundled up black woman sitting with a thermos and all sorts of pamphlets spread out. It was Jackie. I had heard that she had been on the street protesting the development of the museum since construction began, contending that Dr. King would not have wanted a museum built but rather housing for those most in need. Seeing her continued resolve was inspiring. She looked up and smiled as I approached the table. I returned the smile and said, “You may not remember but we met a number of years ago.”

“Yes we did. I don’t recall your name but I do remember the day you came to measure the room next to Dr. King’s for the model.” She stood and walked around the table, reaching out to give me a hug. We visited for a couple of minutes before others came up to her table and she excused herself to speak with them. As I turned to leave with the tears coming on, I smiled in her direction. She looked up and returned the gesture with a knowing smile of her own.

My journey through We Shall Overcome was almost finished and my memories of Dr. King’s death in Memphis had touched my heart anew. Arriving into the present moment, I heard Catherine launch into the final chorus. It was a heartfelt prayer for a world yet to come. “We are not afraid. We all live in peace. We shall overcome, some sweet day.” The congregation gave her a standing ovation. The minister stepped forward as everyone was taking their seats. “I can’t imagine there are any dry eyes in this place after that performance, Catherine. I’ve been crying since the first verse. Thank you.” I wiped my eyes, as were many others around me. Fortunately, there were a couple of minutes before the message, as the minister was readying the lectern. It gave me just enough time to silently express my gratitude for the song, for the memories and the amazing blessings I received along the way.

A Black and White World

Summer e. knowles.

I was inspired to write this poem, "A Black and White World" after a recent visit to the National Civil Rights Museum. As I walked through the museum, I felt grateful for everything that the elders (like Dr. King) did to make this world a better place for us, but I also realized that their work isn't finished. As a generation, we must continue the fight for our civil rights or else hatred will muster up the strength to rear its ugly head and send us right back to square one. I hope my reflectional poem reminds everyone of this truth.

A Black and White World by Summer Knowles

I cried as I walked into the Civil Rights Museum yesterday, thinking 2,000 years ago, my savior was crucified. 200 years ago, my ancestors were slaves, beaten till the day they reached their graves. 50 years ago, my grandparents were chased by dogs that seemed to have escaped from the living pits of Hell

Well, now, as I look around, and see the bodies slain by policemen lying lifeless on the ground, I realize, History repeats itself. And repeats and repeats and repeats

It's an endless cycle that won't be affected by mere innocent tears You see, every time we break free, another chain appears.

We scream We fight We try WE DIE, but nothing ever changes. Why?

I didn't choose to be born. Didn't choose this place, this face, my race, and yet, that is all they choose to see. But it’s what they refuse to see that is quite amusing to me

They say, “Ignorance is bliss” I say, “No, it’s blindness” but I know it’s delicious and satisfying, easier than turning to see the people crying, the children dying. Which is why they keep on lying.

the world is still in Black and White.

A Grandkid of the Movement - Intergenerational Activism

Marisa tila o'connor iglesias.

My grandmother Marianne O'Connor worked with Civil Rights leaders Clara Luper in Oklahoma City to help start the lunch counter movement there. Her daughter, my aunt Lora, has brought me to many civil rights and social justice actions. I love the music at Schools Not Prisons events and hope to play someday in an action to help incarcerated youth. [I am] looking forward to coming to Memphis in February and in April!

Steve Salky

I was a 14 year old when Dr. King was murdered and I recall attending the ceremony at Crump stadium in which Rev. Hooks’ and Rev. Lawson’s eulogies left me and my father in tears. I have never forgotten and have tried throughout my life to study Dr. King’s message and to teach it to my children and practice it in my life. Your browser doesn't support video. Please download the file: video/mp4

Week 30: Decent Housing- Redlining Your Community

The issue of decent housing is more than the quality of the physical dwelling people live in, but also the surrounding community. In modern America, we are impacted by a legacy of housing policies that affect government funding for schools, community development, quality of life, economic access or wealth, and more.

View this Map of Socioeconomic status by the Urban Institute to show that inequality isn't just about money, but where you live. See what's happening exactly where you live.

socioeconomic status? Tell us about it. Share your story.

Week 29: Justice - Ban the Box: 2nd Chance Too Many?

The United States has roughly 70 million Americans who have been convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony. Of course with each conviction, all crimes are different, however regardless of how non-threatening the crime is, these Americans are significantly disadvantaged.

, which provides a step by step guide for advocates on who to launch this campaign in your own city. There are resources in the downloadable PDF that include how to draft a law, build your network, support your outreach, and develop the media. a 5 minute explanation on why this is necessary for all ex-offenders, but especially African American ex-offenders.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--29--Justice---Ban-the-Box--2nd-Chance-Too-Many-.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=uk11Qa7Psmg

Week 28: Poverty - A Tribute to the 1968 Sanitation Workers

In 1968, Dr. King came to Memphis, to help with the Sanitation Workers Strike. The Memphis garbage collectors were underpaid, overworked, and didn't have proper uniforms or working equipment. Their wages were so low that even though they worked full time, they still qualified for welfare.

Check out this timeline of the 1968 Sanitation Workers Strike.
When you have the time, watch this 58 minute video documentary of the in depth 1968 sanitation strike, At the River I Stand .
Look out for more videos on the 1968 Sanitation Workers to come in February on the 50th Anniversary of the Memphis Sanitation strike.

, they had juices from the garbage and bugs all over them. They would smell from handling the garbage so often they were not allowed to get on the bus to ride home. They would have to peel off their clothes and shoes before going in their houses, because they were so dirty. There is an extra line space between these two paragraphs. of 1968, 1300 Sanitation Workers went on strike. A strike is one way of protesting (or standing up against something that seems unfair or unjust.) In a strike, people stop working until their demands are met (until they get what they want.) This strike was successful but it took time, patience, and teamwork from the Sanitation Workers. They came together and their voices were finally heard.

How do you think it would feel to be told you couldn't ride home on the bus because of your odor?
How would it feel to work long days in difficult conditions and still not make enough money to be able to support your family?
Why was the Sanitation Strike so important to all of the men who went on strike and to Dr. King?

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--28---A-Tribute-to-the-1968-Sanitation-Workers.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=lvTj8K2zZrI

Week 27: Peace: Nonviolence as a Way of Life

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal." King's philosophy reveals that we achieve the goal of peace through nonviolence.

The first three actions are part of The King Philosophy .

Seek friendship and understanding. The goal of nonviolence is not to defeat anyone but to make allies and cultivate understanding.
Choose compassion and love instead of hate . Adding more hate to the world has never created long-term positive change, but adding love has.
Think, speak, and create actions of nonviolence. In order for nonviolence to be effective, it must be seen in every facet of your lifestyle. Remember, actions speak louder than words, but words and actions are a direct result of your thoughts.
Communication is key. Choose your words carefully during confrontations or disagreements. Choosing nonviolent communication can steer you toward a mutually beneficial outcome. Click to learn more about this nonviolent communication strategy .

st Graders) by Bobbi Jane Kates and featuring Sesame Street friends and watch student project from the Calhoun School. by Calida Rawles about cousins that are worried about the fact that they look so different from one another. by Lanny Sherwin. This song teaches about acceptance, tolerance, and celebrates diversity and individuality. by R.J. Palacio. This book is a true story about a young boy, named Auggie Pullman, who is entering school for the first time in fifth grade due to a facial deformity. There is a movie that will premier in November that also tells Auggie's story. Watch the . Will the other students accept him for who he is or will they only look at his differences? to find out why you should accept yourself and others just the way they are.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--27-.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=wAbLAvWl1PY

Week 26: Better Jobs - Resumes & Interviews Matter

At some point in their lives, most people will be in the position of seeking employment. Whether a high school or college graduate looking for part-time employment or internship, or an experienced worker embarking on a new career, candidates will likely have resume questions including: What should I have in my resume? How should I format it? What skills should I list? Does the objective really matter? Should I include a cover letter? What length should my resume be?

r What should I have in my resume? How should I format it? What skills should I list? Does the objective really matter? Should I include a cover letter? What length should my resume be? . The qualifications and accomplishments listed on a resume can have a great impact on the recruiters' hiring decisions. How well a person presents themselves in the interview is a huge factor. The chart below from Miami University research shows how commonly used resume items rank in importance. (1)

Checkout this article on Forbes.com on 20 Basic Resume Rules That'll Put You Ahead of the Competition and checkout TheResumeBuilder.com for a more hands-on approach.
Read this article from theBalance.com for 7 Interview Tips That Will Help You Get The Job.
Find a resume building workshop in your community and attend.
Find an organization who aids in helping people get professional wear or uniforms at DressForSuccess.org.

is a short . It is usually sent with job applications. It tells the person who is hiring for a job, about the applicant. . Even if you have not had a job yet, you can still create a resume that shows how special and talented you are! Being an honor roll student or winning awards are also great additions to a resume! So, volunteer your time to help others, play sports, and join clubs at school or run for student council. There are many great resources to help you build your resume. To create your resume, use some of the helpful links below. or . It is easy to write your resume from scratch in just a few short steps using either of these sites. (your email address, (where you go or have gone to school) (if you don't have any, go out and volunteer!) you participate in or help lead (Strings, Chess Club, Environmental Club) you have earned (honor roll, principal's list) (what you enjoy doing and what makes you really special) people who can speak about you and your strengths) List their name, contact information, and job title or how they know you. (Be sure to ask people if they are willing to be a reference for you, before listing them on your resume.) from eye4success.org . This video will help you to prepare a resume that will serve you well for college or job applications. Start preparing now and it will pay off later! are conversations . Watch the video . Although this is specific to college interviews, the same techniques would apply to job interviews, too. . Consider your answers to the following questions:

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--26-Better-Jobs--Resumes---Interviews-Matter.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=peUwa1c06Gc

Week 25: Justice Dinner

Mass incarceration is a major civil rights issue. A primary reason for the surge in the American prison population is the federal law mandating minimum sentencing. Individuals who meet certain stipulations of the law are required to serve a minimum sentence.

Learn more about mandatory minimums by reading this article on the 2017 Overview of Mandatory Minimum Penalties in the Federal Criminal Justice System.
Can you think of a small offense that would land someone in prison for half their life? Watch this video That Much Time for Only 35 Pills? of an innocent act that cost a woman her freedom.
How do you feel about mandatory minimums? Answer this question by taking the poll in our Facebook 50 Weeks of Action Group Page.

for activities, videos and ideas on how to work through challenging issues like coping with incarceration. from the Sentencing Project. by Sesame Street. by Rebecca Honig-Briggs. by Sesame Street, about a young man whose mother is in prison and how he copes with being away from her. by Jacqueline Woodson. Echoes of Incarceration Project, a group of young filmmakers with incarcerated parents set out to understand some of the hidden consequences of our nation's approach to imprisonment. In their first film, , the crew journeyed to understand their childhood being brought up by grandparents, and by extension, the issues caregivers face when raising a child with an incarcerated parent. It involved tough questions, and some surprising realizations that a crew member had more in common with the grandmothers than he expected.(1) , which tells a story of how a parent's incarceration impacts an entire family. Echoes of Incarceration Project

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--25.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=XM26HzHdRDo

Week 24: Affordable Housing: New Challenges, Old Policies

According to the Urban Institute, "Many households struggle to afford a decent, safe place to live. Since 2000, rent has risen as the number of renters needing affordable housing has increased.

housing in general, but also natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and fires). Compounded by linger effects of 2008-2009 financial crisis, access to housing is difficult to obtain without government or developer intervention.

President Barack Obama created programs to assist home buyers in mortgage payment plans. Find out more about the "Obama Mortgage" & see which programs can benefit you.
Learn more about programs that aid in helping renters find properties based on their income. See programs and assistance that the government created at USA.gov.
See how the Urban Institute maps the real costs of renting. Click on the interactive map to find out how much you need to earn to afford a modest apartment in your state.
What do changes do you think should be made in order to ensure quality housing for all? What can you do to advocate for change in the way housing is priced in your area? Share your answer with us on our Facebook 50 Weeks of Action Group Page.

affordable for everyone? Have you been helped? Share your story with us.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--24-Housing.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=QEk5VHMUUFg

Week 23: Quality Education: Teacher Preparedness

Terri lee freeman.

Think about it. There has been at least one teacher who greatly impacted your life, right? Most of us can recall our favorite teachers because of the way they positively motivated, encouraged and pushed us to reach our potential.

Attend or organize a discussion on education equity and teacher preparedness in your community. The National Civil Rights Museum is partnering to host a MLK50 Educational Equity Learning Series. On October 5, the topic is "Investing in Our Children: School Funding in Memphis & Shelby County," where we examine the questions: Are we funding or underfunding our schools? Who funds schools in Memphis and Shelby County? Do schools need more money? Register to attend the upcoming discussions!
Watch the documentary Teach Us All on Netflix. Visit teachusallfilm.org for information about the film and how teachers are working together to build quality educational opportunities in their communities.
Share your experience about your favorite teacher and how they changed your perspective on education on our Facebook 50 Weeks of Action Group Page .

by Patricia Polacco.
," based on the true story about the extraordinary educator, Jaime Escalante. Here is a .

your students? Share your story.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--23-Education.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=o0DNWcduNqA

Week 22: Daring to Dream: Generational Poverty

Dr. kenneth s. robinson.

Recent census data states there has been a decline in poverty in the U.S. over the last two years.

(1) A healthy economy is certainly necessary to fight poverty, but history suggests that public policy reforms are also needed to precipitate substantial declines in the poverty rate. Research shows that policies directly linked to work, like the earned income tax credit or childcare assistance, can increase employment. So how do we equip the next generation to be prepared for the workforce when they are challenged both economically and educationally? Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, President/CEO of the United Way of the Mid-South, shares his insight on generational poverty and approaches to breaking the cycle.

Take the Poverty Quiz to learn more about the state of poverty in the U.S. It may be different than what you thought.
Check out this infographic entitled " Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Two-Generation Solutions ." What role or action can you participate in to help someone today? What obstacles have you had to overcome to get to where you are today?
Read the article " How'd You Get Here ," then find out your " American Dream Score ." You may be surprised what has worked in your favor. Share your thoughts on our Facebook 50 Weeks of Action Group Page.

Go to your library and check out, Almost Home by Kevin Ryan and Tina Kelley. This book tells the stories of six remarkable young people from across the US and Canada, as they cope with life on the streets. Each teen eventually finds his or her way to Covenant House, one of the largest charities serving homeless and runaway youth in North America.

Research shelters in your area that serve teens who are living on the streets. If your parents approve, inquire what you can do to help. This could be a perfect place to deliver care packages.

DoSomething.org for facts and ideas on how YOU can take action to create positive change! Share and discuss this with your peers.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--22.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=tiMqJk-jwLs

Week 21: Better Jobs: Gender Pay Gap

In the fight for economic equity, the gender pay gap - the difference between how much men and women are paid - is a key issue.

Learn more about how you can influence change in gender pay equity. Join the fight for fair pay! Become a Two-Minute Activist by signing up to receive notices to contact your member of Congress to advocate for women and girls.
Read a CNBC article on how millennial women are closing in on fiscal capacity by outpacing men in education and higher credit scores regardless of pay gaps. See how some of U.S. business leaders are making efforts to draw attention to gender pay gap by sharing the impact it has on their companies.
See a recent lawsuit against corporate giant Google (9/14/17) regarding gender pay gap.
What can be done? Women can learn to better negotiate for their salary and raises. AAUW is one organization that offers salary negotiation training particularly for women.

. This video will help explain the pay gap between men and women. from Sesame Street. This video will help you understand what type of careers you could have when you grow up. library and check out the book by Jonah Winter.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--21.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=imjriw2VNEA

MLK50 – Where Do We Go From Here?

Alvin o’neal jackson, d. min, chair of the national clergy mlk50 leadership team.

No, this commemoration must be a movement that takes us forward. Not just a commemoration, but a commencement, a convocation that leads us to a revolution of moral values.

The United States observes only ten national holidays. Three of those days celebrate individuals: Christopher Columbus Day honors a man who in our civil mythology discovered the Americas, but in reality, there were millions of natives living here long before he arrived. George Washington’s Birthday honors our first President who contributed much to our system of government, but his DNA is also found in America’s original sin of race and slavery. And every third Monday in January, the nation honors the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born in Atlanta, Georgia January 15, 1929 and martyred by an assassins’ bullet on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, TN. Dr. King’s political and religious leadership in the social movements to dismantle segregation and voter disenfranchisement is widely remembered as heroic. But we too often remember only parts of this story. Exactly one year before his 1968 assassination, Dr. King broke his public silence about his opposition to the escalating war in Vietnam that was claiming unfathomable numbers of lives, particularly the poor. He denounced the war as inseparable from the perpetuation of racism and poverty, domestically and globally. King said that only a ‘revolution of values’ is capable of bringing change on the scale necessary to address “the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism and militarism.” He saw that the nation had the material means to address all three but lacked the moral will to do so, despite the biblical, theological and civil sources that supported such action. As we prepare to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel and the 50th anniversary of the Poor Peoples Campaign what an opportunity we have been given to find the will and resources to address “the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism and militarism.” What an opportunity we have been given to find the moral center that Dr. King gave his life to and to finish the work of the prophet. There is no better way to honor a prophet than to finish the prophet’s work. The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the historic Lorraine Motel has determined that the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., assassination cannot be just another commemoration with ceremony that only takes us back. No, this commemoration must be a movement that takes us forward. Not just a commemoration, but a commencement, a convocation that leads us to a revolution of moral values. As Dr. William Barber of the Moral Monday Movement has said, “what will save our country is not the religious left or the religious right, but the moral center.” We want to find that moral center.

Week 19: Monumental Justice: Heritage or Hate?

In the past several weeks, the history of the Confederate States of America and its icons have been the center of attention nationwide.

A poll was also taken with Southern African Americans where the results were almost completely reversed with 75% believing it is a symbol of racism and 11% seeing it as heritage. (1)

," , CNN Politics. July 2, 2015.

," Southern Poverty Law Center. April 2, 2016

Review Resources for Educators, Parents and Families for method s to engage youth in meaningful discussions on social justice topics such as race using anti-bias framework.
Show your support for the removal of confederate statues on social media and share ways and ideas of how we can work towards getting it removed by engaging in the question posted in our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group .


	Workers begin removing confederate statue in Gainesville, FLA, 8/14/17. Source: Newsela

Share your story.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--19.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=K4wdeZ_64-w

Week 18: Rethinking Education

For decades, education advocates have called for reform in our country's education system. Since the early 1980s, the challenge to rethink the model has been brewing, giving prominence to changes in the ecosystem of educational options.

Museum President Terri Lee Freeman continues her discussion of quality education and our MLK50 theme, "Where Do We Go from Here?" in Part 2 of three videos.
for all and to improve communities.

, Feb. 17, 2010.

It's not just about quantity; it's about QUALITY! Read a New York Times story on how a longer school year has impacted some students, families and education systems across the country. Where do you stand on a longer school year?
Students sound off in this video by National Center on Time &aamp; Learning on what longer school days with tutoring and enrichment programs meant to them.
Wa tch this video of WLWT Cincinnati news report on parents's reaction to a 2009 U.S. Education initiative for a longer school year and school day.
What does a longer school day schedule mean for teachers and school budgets? Learn what schools with longer schedules are doing by reading the Center for American Progress' report on " Reimagining the School Day ." How would you support longer school days for students in your local school system? Share what a longer school day & year would look like in your area in our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group .

. Ask your teacher to watch this video with the class, (if time allows) or with you after school. , by Chase Mielke. , the Morehouse College Student Paper, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, "The function of education... is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically...Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education." Is it surprising that he wrote this as a college student? . for a list of books for the first weeks of school for young children.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--18.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=yZFNHylr1U4

Week 17: Undoing a Generation of Student Loan Debt

A recent article from Student Loan Hero revealed that the average 2016 college graduates are $37,172 in debt. With student loan debt well into the trillions, many new professional are victims of garnished wages and income taxes.

(1) With student loan debt well into the trillions, many new professional are victims of garnished wages and income taxes.

Learn more about the student loan debt crisis by watching this video from the Brookings Institution.

tuition, books, fees, and possibly housing. you'll go! Learn new skills, build on your strengths, and develop your talents! Listen to a of O by Dr. Seuss. If you have the book at home, or can get it from your school library, read along. Turn the page, when you hear the "ding!" called

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--17.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=micvShjRycQ

Week 16: The Meaning of Blight

Let's be honest. The term "blight" has been appropriated to mean the condition of urban, substandard housing in communities of mostly black or brown people who apparently don't care about changing the dismal conditions in which they live.

Learn about Asset-Based Community Development and available resources that may be applied to your community.
Join young activists and families in the ideas below to improve your community.

refers to areas with buildings and land that are not used. Often times, the buildings (like houses and businesses) are left behind, or abandoned. , community centers, or schools are built there, that it would bring people back to the neighborhood. Usually, areas that are experiencing blight are littered with trash and need some attention. are one from Fort Worth, Texas where people are , East Side. live. We will discuss community gardens soon!

http://conta.cc/2hPGEA1

Week 15: Peaceful Protest: Civil Disobedience

What is the best way to create effective change, civil disobedience or armed struggle? Like Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. used civil disobedience as as a means of effectuating government change on policies and laws that permitted racism, injustice and inequality.

Share with us on our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group page other ways to create change through civil disobedience.

with a of by Doreen Rappaport . by Ed Clayton. this video to learn even more about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. click below.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--15.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=dSwkE2Vc4rA

Week 14: Voting Rights: Power to the People!

Sixty years since Dr. King made that statement, this nation is still urging its elected officials to make the ballot more accessible. It would be another eight years after this speech, that the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, with an important pre-clearance provision to regulate Southern states that had notoriously implemented Jim Crow laws designed to thwart attempts and violently intimidate or kill African Americans looking to register to vote.

pre-clearance provision, setting up a swath of state laws leaving citizens once again prey to voter suppression and gerrymandering. Soon after the 2012 mid-term elections, there were "electoral integrity" campaigns in states tagged to prevent voter fraud. The campaigns pushed for more identification requirements, limiting early voting periods, long voting lines and processing, and restricting voter registration drives. In reality, these tactics have disenfranchised more minority and lower-income voters who were more likely to use those specific avenues to exercise their right to vote. (3)
," Address at the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom . PBS March on Washington Collection. " at a Forum Entitled "Excluded From Democracy: The Impact Of Recent State Voting Changes" Hosted By Representative John Conyers Ranking Member The House Judiciary Committee. November 14, 2011 " by Nicol Turner-Lee. Brookings.edu. Wednesday, June 21, 2017. series. by Nancy Kaufman. November 2, 2016. lists some proven tactics to help others become more engaged in voting and increase voter turnout. Organize with others to implement these in your community.

is to (1)
A vote is like our voice, it is how we take part in making decisions in the world. of by Jonah Winter . from the series, .

book, by Michael Burgan. on the History of Voting Rights. from Scholastic.

election in your area? Are you registered to vote? Why or why not? Tell your experience in voting or share a relative's story who has faced voter suppression, intimidation or violence during the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. Share your story. Be heard.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--14.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=gubmuLfuvhc

Week 13: School Choice For Quality Education

Across the country, the new school year is quickly approaching. Every year, many parents have waded through the complex issue of school choice to enroll their children in the best schools possible. This week Museum President Terri Lee Freeman discusses school choice.

Watch this PBS NewsHour's "In My Humble Opinion" segment in school choice.
Find out what your employer's policies are on adopting a local school for the upcoming school year or find organizations with a similar program.
Find out when your next school board elections take place, research the candidates and VOTE.
Share with us on our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group page your plans from the above action steps or how you made a difference in someone's education.

Rock Nine and Their Choice For Change to attend Central High School. Until that time, it was an all-white school. The Governor, National Guard and many people in Arkansas tried to prevent integration. Daisy Bates helped this group of courageous teens break the color barrier. Thanks to her help, . by Eileen Lucas. by Melba Pattillo Beals. by Carlotta Walls Lanier. click below .

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--13.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=S9aZUkqkoSA

Week 12: All Labor Has Dignity

In 1961, Dr. King delivered a speech to the AFL-CIO's fourth constitutional convention. He acknowledged racism within the labor movement, but also brought to the audience 's attention that the goals of the labor movement and the civil rights movement overlap.

's attention that the goals of the labor movement and th e civil rights movement overlap. Both movements sought decent wages, better working conditions, good communities for their families and better education. Today, we continue to benefit from the work of these two movements our everyday lives. the deaths of Robert Walker and Echol Cole during a garbage compressor malfunction . The sanitation workers' strike was the intersection of the labor and civil rights movement. As African Americans, their bold declaration "I AM A MAN" affirmed their huma nity, and their right to better pay and working conditions. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) along with local churches supported the strikers by providing them funds to take care of their families, food, protection escorts, and shelter from tear gas attacks. The question remains how do we substantively address these issues.
Martin Luther King, Jr. . ed. Michael K. Honey (Beacon Press: Boston, 2011). , identify the best entities responsible for changes to remedy racial and gender pay gap, living wages and "right to work." a new advocacy paradigm. page.

. .
Katherine Johnson.
by Margot Lee Shetterly. mean? Can you think of any "hidden figures" in your life? Why does that title fit them? , see this .

do the same. #MLK50NCRM

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--12.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=bQ3EwhN2R00

Week 11: Realities of Poverty Today

changed. The rates of poverty in suburban America have been rapidly growing. From 2000 - 2015, the suburbs accounted for nearly half of the national poverty increase in the United States.

rapidly growing. From 2000 - 2015, the suburbs accounted for nearly half of the national poverty increase in the United States. Suburban communities across the country like Detroit (87 percent), Chicago (84 percent), and Cleveland (63 percent) have seen dramatic increases in its poor populations. Suburban areas like Austin (129 percent), Atlanta (126 percent), and Las Vegas (139 percent) have seen their poor populations more than double. Brookings Institute Fellow and author of the book Elizabeth Kneebone, testified in front of the House Ways and Means Committee, subcommittee on Human Resources in February about the changing geography of America's poor.( 1) Kneebone testified that confronting American poverty requires a complex systematic approach, but it is critical for communities, politicians, foundations and others to reconsider what poverty looks like today. 43.1 million people in America (13.5 percent of the population) were poor in 2015. . Elizabeth Kneebone's full testimony on America's changing geography of poverty. page the initiatives your community is using to confront poverty.

to a read aloud of by Ann McGovern. by Chelsea Clinton. Read chapter one: or about the b ook online. click below .

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action--11.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=liIdbXyDwOU

Week 10: Housing: My Address, My Future

In Dr. King's notes about the Chicago Campaign he said, "It is reasonable to believe that if the problems of Chicago, the nation's second largest city, can be solved, they can be solved everywhere."

My Address, My Future

To understand the challenges Dr. King fac ed in addressing poor housing in Chicago, read Chapter 28 of The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. , edited by Clayborne Carson and share your thoughts on the 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group page.
Identify possible examples of gentrification around you. Is there a platform from which the residents can voice their concerns on community changes? What governing body is held accountable for addressing them?
Join a grassroot neighborhood improvement group in your city and be accountable for addressing the areas that need it the most.

What more would you like to see more of?

450 Mulberry, Memphis, TN 38103

| |

in collaboration with

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action---WEEK-10.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=6a0fyh5A4_I

Week 9: Peace: The Nonviolent Way

In Week Two, we learned that peace is far more than the absence of war and violence, but that it is a deliberate commitment to love and compassion through action. Nonviolent action is the weapon Dr. King used in his during the Civil Rights Movement by leading several peaceful demonstrations.

against racial segregation on the public transit system in Montgomery, AL. Dr. King and African American leaders in Montgomery launched the boycott with Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus. They encouraged protesters to walk to work and organized carpools or other means of transportation. The transit system suffered a huge deficit because African Americans were its primary paying consumers. Though it took a little over a year for a federal court to rule segregated buses unconstitutional, the boycott was one of the first, bolstering victories in the Civil Rights Movement.

Invite someone of a different race to dinner and have them bring foods from their culture as you share yours. Talk about ways to promote peace among races. Take photos and share them with us on our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group page.
Share how you have been a peacemaker this week, and how you will continue to use nonviolence to explore peaceful methods to change the world.

with a song about peace, featuring Grandpa Elliott with children's choirs across the globe or Clarence Bekker perform
, Dr. King wrote, " Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. " What did Dr. King mean with the quote above? be the light? peace, click below .

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=V4TIWi2w92k

Week 8: And Justice For All

Fifty-Four years ago this week, NAACP Field Secretary Medgar Evers was assassinated in the driveway of his home in Jackson, MS. Two trials of Evers' assassin, Byron De La Beckwith, ended in hung juries in 1964. Beckwith was convicted of the murder in 1994, thirty years later.

Attend a community townhall, citizens' accountability task force meeting or protest to help solve a community issue.
Discover different ways to advocate for justice and share them with us on our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group page.

of the book by Margarita Engle. by Mildred Taylor. by Harper Lee This story has also below .

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=iUiiuFrJaBk

Week 7: Quality Education

Quality education has been a long established value in the civil rights movement. Ruby Bridges, with new friends, a few months into her attendance at William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. (Image: Alan Wieder Collection) As early as the nineteenth century there have been cases of families challenging education inequity in their communities.

Learn about mentoring initiatives in your community like Big Brother Big Sisters.
Consider donating your time or books to a local summer reading initiative.
Are you confused about education inequity issues within your community? Share with us the education issues you would like to learn more about on our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group page.

means that means that e , like books, computers and clean schools. means that in order to succeed and achieve.

One hero that helped was Ruby Bridges. In 1960, she was the first African-American student to attend an all-white elementary school in the South.

in full of by Robert Coles. by Ruby Bridges. below.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=ZOOmffp2lt0

Week 6: Better Jobs = Better Society

On August 28, 1963 thousands of people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for the March on Washington. Although the march would later become known for Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech, the rallying cry that brought the crowds to Washington, DC was jobs and freedom.

In 2016, PBS Newshour produced a quiz, Do you live in a bubble? Quiz. This quiz o ffers some perspective on how your position in American society is affected by numerous factors . What did the quiz reveal to you? Did it alter your perspective of where you stand in the American economic society? Share your thoughts on our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group Page .
Be part of the solution. A simple way you can empower someone else is to share a job posting online or via social media. Is your job hiring or you know a company or organization that is? You never know who within your network is looking for a job or looking to improve their circumstances. Extra points if you connect someone with a hiring manager.

Think about your interests and your talents and how you can use those in your career. Al Yankovic's or . called (Part 1 & 2) to learn about different jobs that you might like. your local library and borrow by Carol Christen and Richard N. Bolles. This book will help prepare you for choosing your career. Click below for more.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=Kjx7-jbCWeo

Week 5: Poverty: A Moral Dilemma

In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. launched a new phase of the Civil Rights Movement focused on economic justice. While the Movement had won victories in desegregation and voting rights, King said it had done little to vanquish poverty.


	Infographic on poverty and effects on the brain (Source: )

Watch this video of Dr. King speaking about poverty while in Mississippi for the Poor People's Campaign.
Watch historian Taylor Branch and theologian James Cone talking on what motivated Dr. King's fight in the Poor People's Campaign on the Moyers & Company show.
During the Poor People's Campaign, SCLC developed an Economic Bill of Rights . List 3 things that should be in a similar manifesto today and share them on our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group page.

In 1967, Dr. King announced that he wanted people in poverty to meet in Washington to march for better jobs, better homes, and better education. He wanted ALL people to have better lives. by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan, or . called "Kids Respond to Child Hunger" to learn about some ways that you can help people living in poverty.
Click below for more.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=N06C8Rv47uE

Week 4: Fair Housing in a Beloved Community

Actively observe your neighborhood and identify three things you didn't know before.
Attend at least one meeting with your city council, school board, community center or place of worship that is actively addressing community concerns.
Read a Chicago Magazine article on the 50th anniversary of the Chicago Freedom Movement 1966 and the status of Chicago today. What correlations can we make for solutions in your neighborhood?
Join our 50 Weeks of Action Facebook Group to share your ideas with a community of those who have taken the MLK50 Pledge for Peace and Action.

A community may live, work, or play together like your family, neighborhood, school, sports team, or house of faith. A community could also be the city, state or country where you live. We all belong to one big community - the world! . How can we help to make our community stronger? How can we create a Beloved Community? By Scot Ritchie. and choose activities from the book to do with your friends and family. from Sesame Street to learn about some of the people in your neighborhood. What do you want to do when you grow up?
Click below for more.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=CMcSdc0etCg

Week 3: A Threat to Justice

Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice, and when they fail in this purpose, they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress." Today we see a dysfunctional system where justice is not always blind, and in some cases, it is in direct contradiction of the First Amendment statutes it purports. And if you are a citizen without resources, or of a certain racial or gender affiliation, chances are, justice is mute too. .

/cc/flickr)

Get the facts: Watch Ava DuVernay's documentary 13th about the justice system in the U.S. Available on Netflix.
Watch this video about the impact of Dr. King's "A Letter from a Birmingham Jail ."
Click for a list of national social justice organizations with which to connect. There is likely a group in your neighborhood that is fighting for justice.
Identify a social justice cause that matters to you and share it with us and others on Twitter using the #MLK50pledge hashtag.

upholding what is fair, just and right; giving out what is deserved, whether reward or punishment; or a person whose job it is to decide questions brought before a court; judge . For this week, we are using definitions and . ? It means that if people are being treated unfairly anywhere, that could also be treated unfairly. No one is free from injustice, until there is justice for all people. It is everyone's responsibility to create and uphold justice. That is why we must become activists. to listen to the book by Innosanto Nagara .

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=zOkesDFgY60

Week 2: What is Peace?

At the National Civil Rights Museum, we have discussed the definition of peace. While it is hard to define, we realize that peace is more than the absence of war and violence.

. While it is hard to define, we realize that peace is more than the absence of war and violence. It is a deliberate commitment to love and compassion through actions small and large. Peacekeeping organizations take many shapes and forms. There are hundreds of peace organizations around the world. For instance, the Human Rights Watch conducts research and advocates for human rights, and Pathways to Peace works with the United Nations UNESCO and UNICEF in collaboration with other organizations to spread a culture of peace. What about peace at home?

Reflect on these questions: How do you define peace? Who are the peacekeepers in your community and how can you support them? Share your thoughts on Twitter using the hashtag #MLK50pledge .
Read Dr. King's book, Strength to Love.

For the perspective of a young activist, watch and listen to "World Peace" by clicking here .

will serve as the official digital portal for storytelling, engagement, a master calendar and updates on the MLK50 initiative around the country. below to learn about key MLK50 events during the yearlong commemoration culminating in Memphis on April 4, 2018.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=BUxyhY6KHHI

Week 1 of 50: No Justice. No Peace. Know Justice. Know Peace.

Welcome to 50 Weeks of Actions! You have pledged to join us in improving our communities through peace and direct action.

Share the Pledge for Peace and Action with others. Click the link bit.ly/mlk50pledge.
Read Dr. King's book, Where Do We Go from Here: From Chaos to Community, or listen to parts of the speech from this audio clip . Read the full manuscript here of Dr. King's "Where Do We Go from Here?" speech.

Let's start by learning about Dr. King. There are many fantastic books! Check out A Picture Book of Martin Luther King , Jr. b y David Adler and illustrated by Robert Casilla. L isten to LaVar Burton reading this book on "Reading Rainbow Story Time," by clicking here .
To listen to a short clip from Dr. King's speech, "Where Do We Go From Here?," given in Atlanta, GA on August 16, 1967, click here. During this speech, Dr. King said "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." What does that mean? Click below to find out.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/50-Weeks-of-Action.html?soid=1110009660710&aid=osLYOHSwVSY

Integrating St. Augustine Beach

Purcell conway.

Civil Rights Activist Purcell Conway shares his account of the demonstrations to integrate a Florida beach, and the violence that ensued.

What is your story?

Dr. noelle trent, director of interpretation, collections & education.

As part of the MLK50 commemoration, the National Civil Rights Museum wants to collect your stories on Dr. King, his life, his death, and his legacy. As a historical museum, it is important to for us to capture not only the accounts of people who were the eyewitnesses to a historical event, but also the people impacted by that event, even years later. In the years to come, someone will wonder how people reflected on the fiftieth anniversary of Dr. King’s death, and the writings left here will provide some insight. Your stories are welcomed here. If you remember where you were in 1968, we want your stories. If you remember family stories about that fateful moment, we want your stories. If you saw Dr. King speak in person, or you have been inspired by his life, we want your stories. If you first learned about Dr. King in elementary school or later in life, we want your stories. If you live in the United States, or outside of the United States, we want your stories. The more stories we receive the richer the dialog. If Your Stories was a painting, each story added here will add color, depth, and dimension. Take the time to reflect on our theme. What do you have to say? What is your story?

Jamara's Story

Jamara haymore.

My parents were teenagers in 1968. My father was a 14 years old Memphian and recounts to me April 4th as if it happened yesterday. He says the tension was palpable in the city. Not only the pain of losing a great leader filling the air, but, also the shame of being the city where his life ended. With the hurt still there behind his eyes, he said to me, "No one addresses how the pain of that lost directly impacted the cities self-worth." Memphis is an ideal model to examine the impact of Dr. King's platforms and measure the distance we've come from the start. Dr. King was in Memphis providing support and guidance for the Memphis Sanitation Worker’s strike. The strike aimed to rectify low pay, unfit working conditions and assert the rights of workers to unionize. King’s presence in Memphis illustrated his commitment to the civil and human rights of decent wages and working conditions. Memphis was a major stage for the labor fight. But, being the place where an event occurred that shook the nation began a narrative that painted Memphis in a negative light. Two weeks after King’s death, there was a resolution to the strike and recognition of the workers’ rights to unionize. The city made some progress in the wake of the tragedy, yet, it still battles with some of the inequalities King was fighting against. I am a student of Memphis, my high school, undergraduate and now graduate school education are all a product of this city. My disposition and worldview are shaped by the happenings here. I've picked up a few dialectical attributes and have integrated them into my daily language, but most certainly the quality that I have gained from Memphis is an attitude of tenacity. Through Memphis, I have learned the will and desire to continually work to make my surroundings better and allow the people around me to benefit from my efforts. I realize that, in this way, the spirit of Dr. King lives in Memphis motivating young people like myself to move younger people toward action to better their communities. It donned on me that if my parents were teenagers at the time of the tragedy at Lorraine Motel, they were among the last generation to be born without all of their rights protected. I am the first generation of my family to benefit from the Civil Rights Act of ’68 and the Civil Rights Act of ‘64, which deemed segregation illegal, granted equal access to public places, pushed desegregation of schools and protection for voting rights. I cannot ignore the privileges granted by the work of King and his contemporaries and it is my duty to ensure young people recognize their privileges as well and fight to maintain them.

Alvin O’Neal Jackson, D. Min, Chair, National Clergy MLK 50 Leadership Team

“What will save our country is not the religious left or the religious right, but the moral center.” We want to find that moral center.

The sun sets over the Hernando DeSoto Bridge on July 10, 2016.

When A City Fails to Hear

Andrea morales, mlk50 justice through journalism project.

Memphis protesters explain what drove them to the bridge.

The July 10, 2016, protest that shut down the Hernando DeSoto Bridge threw solidarity on the streets of Memphis into sharp relief. The city hadn’t seen spontaneous support for a cause on that scale for nearly half a century. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s support of the 1968 sanitation strikes in Memphis marked the height of an era of policy-challenging civil disobedience in the city — and served as the backdrop to King’s assassination. The subsequent decades brought both institutional and cultural calls for more compliant protests; city laws required protesters to pull permits, and gatherings without those permits were limited to fewer than 25 people. As that long night last July settles into our collective memory, the story of the thousand residents of this majority-black city who came together to march against the deaths of two black men in other cities is unique. Their impromptu momentum kept traffic at a standstill across the six lanes of Interstate 40 that cross the Mississippi River for several hours. Collective experience allows us “to build a narrative picture of the past and through this process develop an image and an identity for ourselves.” In the crowd, people explained why they showed up — sometimes at the top of their lungs over fists and cell phones raised high, and sometimes in the face of the Memphis police officers, who hemmed protesters in on both eastbound and westbound lanes. There was a discordant collection of sounds: spirituals, chants, profanity, sirens and bullhorns, but it was peaceful. For testimonies by folks who witnessed that catharsis, in their own words and, sometimes, images. Only the people who gathered in that place and time can tell what took place high above the Mississippi River’s southern flow. READ MORE:

https://mlk50.com/when-a-city-fails-to-hear-3b32937814c2

In their own words

Molly mulroy, mlk50 justice through journalism project.

Voices from across the city recount the story of the Memphis bridge protest of 2016

Stories can be fragile. People can jumble them, overtake them and twist them. Told again and again, the details can be exaggerated, emphasized or erased. But the people of Memphis argue that the story of the Memphis bridge protest on July 10, 2016, is an important one. It must not be twisted. In Dr. Martin Luther King’s final book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?, he wrote, “A final victory is an accumulation of many short-term encounters. To lightly dismiss a success because it does not usher in a complete order of justice is to fail to comprehend the process of full victory. It underestimates the value of confrontation and dissolves the confidence born of partial victory by which new efforts are powered.” And so in order to tell that story of that hot night, that “short-term encounter,” MLK50 has collected the stories of people who were there. Above, you can hear them tell their story in their own words.

https://mlk50.com/in-their-own-words-5fb97412f9cd

MLK50: Special Report

A series examining a look at the year since the Memphis bridge protest, policing protesters, and multimedia "In Their Voices."

The summer of 2016 was filled with protests all across the country. People took to the streets in Baton Rouge, where Alton Sterling was killed by a police officer. People protested outside of St. Paul, Minnesota, where Philando Castile was killed by a police officer less than 24 hours later. And people took to the streets in Memphis, where Darrius Stewart was killed by a police officer the previous summer. In what became the largest spontaneous protest in Memphis history, more than 1,000 protesters made their voices heard when they stopped traffic in all six lanes of the Interstate 40 bridge to Arkansas. As we approach the anniversary of this historic protest, MLK50 will bring you the story. Where Do We Go From Here? Read more from MLK50 on the bridge protest: • Friday, July 7: “Take It To The Bridge,” The changes the bridge protest brought and the ones it didn’t, by MLK50 founder Wendi C. Thomas • Also Friday: When A City Fails To Hear, a photo essay by photographer Andrea Morales • Saturday, July 8: Policing the protesters, a look at police-community relations by MLK50 contributor Micaela Watts • Also Saturday: Sunday rally planned for anniversary of bridge protest by MLK50 founder Wendi C. Thomas • Sunday, July 9: In Their Voices, a multimedia presentation by MLK50 contributor Molly Mulroy • Monday, July 10: MLK50’s coverage of the Coalition of Concerned Citizens’ anniversary event

https://mlk50.com/the-memphis-bridge-protest-coming-sunday-c3b38fb5ea94

July 10, 2016. Photo by Andrea Morales

Take It to the Bridge

Wendi c. thomas, mlk50 justice through journalism project.

Nearly one year ago, Memphis protesters channeled Dr. King’s spirit of civil disobedience. What’s changed since?

MEMPHIS — July 10 marks the anniversary of the largest spontaneous act of civil disobedience in the city’s modern history. The spark: The police killings of two black men in less than 24 hours, Alton Sterling on July 5 in Louisiana and Philando Castile on July 6 in Minnesota. The kindling, though, was the generations-old resentment and rage simmering in a majority-black city where the wealth and prosperity is concentrated in the white minority and many black people live on the economic margins. On that Sunday afternoon, more than 1,000 people — almost all young and black — marched up the Hernando DeSoto bridge that crosses the Mississippi River into Arkansas, snarling traffic for hours. As the sun set, marking the sky with a pink stripe near the horizon, police sirens drowned out the protesters’ chants. Their faces inches away from armed officers, protesters spoke their pain to power. “This was the only opportunity that they would ever have in their life to even talk to a police officer in a way that won’t get them killed,” said organizer Jayanni Webster, one of the last people to leave the bridge. “People in Memphis never have the opportunity to confront those in power… those who represent a failed state of the economy and the politics of this city that continually oppresses people.” This loosely organized crowd resurrected the radical spirit of the exemplar of civil disobedience, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated nearly 50 years ago, on a motel balcony not two miles from the bridge. He came to town on behalf of striking black city sanitation workers. Knowingly or not, the masses followed the instructions in one of King’s last speeches here: Apply economic pressure to force the city to provide better-paying jobs and end economic apartheid. So on that Sunday afternoon, they blocked the span that every day funnels more than 37,000 vehicles east and west: The Interstate 40 bridge, with its iconic M-shaped arches. If only for one night, protesters used their bodies to sever the lifeblood of the city where FedEx is headquartered, the city that bills itself as the nation’s distribution capital: Interstate commerce. Under their feet rumbled the muddy Mississippi, which once transported enslaved ancestors to brutal plantations. “We waited 400 years to get justice, they’re going to wait — they’re going to wait! — to get across this bridge!” activist Devante Hill told a TV news reporter. TO READ MORE:

https://mlk50.com/july-10-2016-take-it-to-the-bridge-e13744c16c21

Experienced Racism in School

Joanne b. blanchard.

Joanne Blanchard, Ph.D, shared her story at the National Urban League Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio in July of 2014.

The Assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Moments in civil rights history.

On April 4th, 1968, an assassin took the life, but not the dream, of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Rev. King, the most prominent civil rights leader of the 20th century, had traveled to Memphis to support 1,300 striking black sanitation workers with a peaceful march. While standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, Dr. King was struck by a single bullet fired from a rooming house across the street.

Black Children Arrested & Assaulted in Birmingham

On May 2, 1963, black children, trained in nonviolent tactics, gathered in Birmingham, Alabama, to protest racial segregation. Over the course of the protest, children were arrested, blasted with fire hoses, clubbed and attacked by dogs. Images of the children appeared on television and in newspapers around the world, provoking global outrage. The Birmingham, Alabama, Children’s Crusade continued through May 10th.

A Man for All People

From those who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr., to those marched with him, participants in the “His Dream, Our Stories: Voices of the Civil Rights Movement” share their memories of the man, the movement, the method of non-violent action and the impact of a man who was for all people.

The 1963 Detroit Walk to Freedom

On June 23, 1963, two months before the March on Washington, another march took place, The Detroit Walk to Freedom, the largest civil rights demonstration in the nations history up to that date. Speakers at the event included Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who delivered a precursor to the I Have A Dream speech made famous from the Washington march. Attendees share their recollections of event.

Dr. King, the Movement and the Legacy

Rev. jesse l. jackson, sr..

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., Founder and President of the Rainbow Push Coalition reflects on the Civil Rights Movement, its legacy and the assassination of Dr. King. He recalls the broken promise of America to the African-American community. His advice to young people of today, Our row’s hard to plow. But dont surrender … use your mind, your body and spirit to achieve your dreams.

1963: Tragedy, Triumphs and Impact

Valerie wilson.

Valerie Shultz-Wilson, President and CEO of the Urban League of Southern Connecticut references the significant Civil Rights events of 1963 and the lasting impact of the March on Washington. “It’s made a lasting impact … we often recount that time and look back on it fondly, but then there’s also a great sense of sadness. … Because we have not been able to duplicate that march since then.

Kennedy Orders End to Housing Discrimination

On November 20th, 1962, President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 11063, banning federally funded housing programs from discriminating against individuals on the basis of race. The order was designed to end the rampant racial prejudice influencing the loan decisions of government-backed organizations like the Federal Housing Administration.

Museum Hours for Today Today: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Ask LitCharts AI
Discussion Question Generator
Essay Prompt Generator
Quiz Question Generator

Literature Guides
Poetry Guides
Shakespeare Translations
Literary Terms

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Martin luther king, jr..

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

Theme Analysis

Martin Luther King, Jr . writes his letter from a small jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, imprisoned for protesting racial inequality and segregation as a political and social policy in the South. Despite writing from a prison cell, however, King never considers his actions criminal, and uses his letter to argue that while the protests were illegal, they served a greater sense of justice. He was protesting laws that he considered fundamentally unjust for a number of reasons; this form of civil disobedience is both necessary and patriotic.

King notes that it is as important to disobey unjust laws as it is to obey just ones; as such, he presents various arguments to illustrate the injustice of the segregation laws in the South. King explains that laws are manmade but justice is divine, and for a law to truly be considered just, it cannot conflict with moral law. Segregation laws are therefore unjust, as they do not correspond to the law of God. Specifically, King notes, “segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality.” There is no justice in a law that is morally wrong or sinful.

King’s opposition to the segregation laws are not only religious; he notes that an unjust law legalizes difference, allowing a majority in power to place limits on the actions of a minority. If the law does not apply equally to white and black citizens, it is an unjust law and should not exist. King also notes that he and other blacks were not able to take part in the formation of these laws—they do not even have the opportunity to vote for their own leaders and lawmakers—and therefore the laws are not created within a truly democratic system.

In protest of the laws he considers unjust, King is willing to submit to jail time, an act that shows the highest respect for law the American political process. While legality does not equal justice, King is not interested in committing crimes for their own sake—he and his followers seek the consequences as well, to demonstrate their willingness to sacrifice for the cause. The foundation of civil disobedience is the willingness to face the consequences, regardless of how harsh they may be, in order to bring attention to the injustice of the law. This is a patriotic action, and one of the few ways in which African Americans could participate in American democracy at that point in history.

King and his fellow protesters have undergone the four steps of nonviolent protest—the first, of course, is to establish that there is injustice in the community, and King describes Birmingham as “engulfed” in racial injustice. They attempted the second step, negotiation, in vain. In the third step, self-purification, they prepared themselves to face the consequences of their protests, whether they be imprisonment or bodily harm. And once they had sufficiently prepared themselves, they moved on to the final step, direct action. The dire consequences of their nonviolent protests are an integral part of the movement towards justice, as the protesters respond patiently to the attacks by authorities upholding an unjust law. It is this willingness to sacrifice for the sake of progress and a future they may never see that reinforces the justice of their actions.

Near the end of his letter, King calls into question the justice of the police work in Birmingham. White leaders had praised the police for their work maintaining order and preventing violence amidst the protests, but King presents a very different perspective on the role of the police in the Birmingham protests. King denounces the violence with which the police have treated the protesters, including physically harming black women and children, turning their dogs on unarmed protesters, and withholding food from black prisoners. This is violence that his critics have ignored—in fact, when they praised police for “preventing violence,” they were referring specifically and exclusively to black violence, ignoring the cases of police brutality. In public, however, the police seem to have avoided outright violence and maintained a sense of calm throughout the protests. Yet this is unsettling to King as well, as he asks, “for what purpose?” Good police work in service of a set of unjust laws and racist policies is not truly good work. In fact, King describes it as “just as wrong, or perhaps even more so, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends.” Regardless of the police’s behavior in response to the protests, they are working to uphold the unjust laws of segregation, and therefore King cannot commend them on their work.

King is aware of his status as a man who has been imprisoned unjustly, and defends the morality and overall patriotism of his actions. While he freely acknowledges the illegality of his actions, he argues that his form of nonviolent resistance is the best way to bring about change and racial justice. He cannot obey laws that he considers unjust, and in fact feels a moral imperative to disobey them and face the consequences in order to bring light to the injustice of the system.

Justice ThemeTracker

Justice Quotes in Letter from Birmingham Jail

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

The answer is found in the fact that there are two types of laws: there are just laws, and there are unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that “An unjust law is no law at all.”

We can never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was “legal” and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was “illegal.”

…the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice…

We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability.

So let him march sometime; let him have his prayer pilgrimages to the city hall; understand why he must have sit ins and freedom rides.

We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom.

One day the South will know that when these disinherited children of God sat down at lunch counters they were in reality standing up for the best in the American dream and the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage.

Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

Entertainment
Environment
Information Science and Technology
Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Law American Criminal Justice System

Injustice Anywhere Is A Threat To Justice Everywhere

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

Civil Liberties
Smoking Ban
Contract Law
Gay Marriage
American Constitution

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Reflecting on the Legacy of

Dr. martin luther king, jr..

The enduring image of Dr. King for most Americans is of the great leader standing before a microphone and speaking soul-shaking, transformational words of truth. His speeches—whether “Give Us the Ballot” or “I Have a Dream”—powerfully examine the state of American democracy and call this nation to its highest self. His “ Letter from a Birmingham Jail ” is among the most powerful messages of social justice ever delivered from behind bars.

“…I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial “outside agitator” idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere in this country.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Letter to Birmingham Jail

However, Dr. King’s extraordinary oratorical and rhetorical gifts were only part of the reason that he became such a powerful civil rights leader. He also garnered the respect of people from around the country because of his willingness to sacrifice for his beliefs. This meant that Dr. King often allowed himself to be arrested and held in jail. Indeed, this is how the LDF lawyers came to know Dr. King. LDF lawyers represented him throughout his years of leadership—during the 1963 Birmingham campaign, in Selma in 1965, and in many other places in the South. As Jack Greenberg , who succeeded LDF’s founder, Thurgood Marshall as our President and Director-Counsel noted in his acclaimed memoir, Crusaders in the Courts , “When a great leader of the mass movement emerged, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., LDF was his lawyer.”

"I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provinvial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere in this country."

- dr. martin luther king, jr..

Letter From Birmingham Jail, 1963

LDF lawyer (and later federal judge) Constance Baker Motley recalled visiting Dr. King near Americus, Georgia where he was detained in a rural jail with Ralph Abernathy. Motley’s description of the conditions in the jail, which she visited with two local Black lawyers, is harrowing:

“The three of us went in. I instantly ran back out, overcome by the stench… I finally decided that I had to go inside and talk to King. I saw him and Abernathy in their four-by-six-foot cell. It was July or August. The temperature must have been a hundred degrees. We could hear other prisoners in a back room yelling and moaning. Since the prison food was not edible, some women had brought food for King and Abernathy, which their jailers had placed uncovered on a table outside their cell and by then it was covered with hundreds of flies. King and Abernathy usually fasted while in jail. We spent at least an hour there without seeing anyone.”

As we celebrate the life and leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., LDF encourages Americans to remember not only Dr. King’s words, but also his courage and his sacrifice in the service of justice. His words—powerful, inspiring, devastating in their truth—were drawn from this deep well of courage, from King’s belief in the obligation of every human being to fight for justice, and from his genuine love for humankind.

"Whether anyone could see us, I could not tell. I feared we would be ambushed… My visit to the jail was the most horrendous experience of my life. It was then I realized that we did indeed have a new civil rights leader—a man willing to die for our freedom.”

- constance baker motley, rev. martin luther king, constance motley and william kunstler in albany, ga. (bettman/getty images).

LDF was privileged to represent Dr. King—to visit him in the low places, to counsel him and other activists as they prepared for the Selma voting rights march in 1965 and the Poor People’s March in 1968, and to witness the rise of his leadership from Montgomery to Memphis. Civil rights lawyers bear witness to the struggles, sacrifices, and fears of our clients. In so doing, we see first-hand the depth of their courage.

In celebrating Dr. King, we also honor all of our clients today—from Fayette, Georgia to St. Martin Parish, Louisiana; from Birmingham, Alabama to New York City; and in all of the towns in between, where men and women of courage have chosen to stand up for justice

And, as we recognize this anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birth, we can see the threads of liberty woven across the centuries. That pattern we must take up every day, and be present as Dr. King was called to be present: anywhere there is injustice. Undaunted in our pursuit of equal justice for all.

"We must come to see with the distinguished jurist of yesterday that "justice too long delayed is justice denied." We have waited for more than three hundred and forty years for our constitutional and God-given rights." - Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Letter From a Birmingham Jail

Copy short link.

Explore Our Affordable Courses

UPSC Offline
UPSC Online
UPSC (Live From Classroom)
UPSC Optional
UPPSC Offline
BPSC Offline
UPPCS Online
BPSC Online
MPSC Online
MPPSC Online
WBPSC Online
OPSC Online
BPSC (Live from Classroom)
UPPSC (Live From Classroom)
UPSC Test Series
State PSC Test Series
DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS
SUBJECT WISE CURRENT AFFAIRS
DAILY EDITORIAL ANALYSIS
DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS QUIZ
Daily Prelims(MCQs) Practice
Daily Mains Answer Writing
Prahaar (Mains Wallah) 2024
Prahaar Summary 2024
Mains Marks Booster 2024
Mains Wallah (Q&A)
Monthly Current Wallah
Daily Editorial Summary
NCERT Wallah
Prelims PYQs
Optionals PYQs
NCERT Notes
Udaan Notes
UPSC Prelims Answer Key
UPSC Syllabus
Topper's Copies
Delhi – Mukherjee Nagar Centre
Delhi – Old Rajinder Nagar Centre
UP – Lucknow Centre
UP – Prayagraj Centre
Bihar – Patna Centre
Galgotia University Centre

Offline Centres
UDAAN Notes
UPSC Prelims PYQs
UPSC Mains PYQs

Q. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr. Discuss the relevance of this statement in the context of global humanitarian crises. (10 M, 150 Words)

Introduction

The above quote captures the universal and interconnected nature of justice, suggesting that an act of injustice in one place has repercussions beyond its immediate environment, challenging the very foundation of justice globally. It holds significant importance in today’s interconnected world, where the impact of actions transcends geographical and cultural boundaries.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” due to the following reasons:

Affects Universal Morality: Injustice in one area undermines the moral fabric of society globally. Example: Apartheid in South Africa affected global perceptions of racial equality and human rights.
Precedent Setting: Acts of injustice set dangerous precedents, encouraging similar actions elsewhere. Example: The Holocaust was a stark reminder of how systemic injustice can lead to catastrophic outcomes.
Global Interdependence: In an interconnected world, injustice in one region can have economic, political, and social ripple effects globally. Example: The Syrian refugee crisis had significant impacts on neighbouring countries and Europe.
Human Rights Violation: Injustice anywhere signifies a violation of universal human rights, which are the foundation of global justice. Example: The Rohingya crisis in Myanmar highlights the violation of basic human rights and its international implications.
Erosion of Trust: Injustice erodes trust in institutions meant to uphold justice, both locally and internationally. Example: Police brutality cases against blacks in the United States have sparked global movements like ‘Black Lives Matter’ questioning the integrity of law enforcement.
Social Unrest: Injustice can lead to social unrest, which can cross borders and influence global stability. Example: The Arab Spring demonstrated how demands for justice in one nation can inspire movements in others.
Challenges Legal and Ethical Standards: Injustice challenges international legal and ethical standards, weakening them globally. Example: The use of chemical weapons in Syria posed a threat to international norms against such warfare.
Threatens Collective Security: Injustice in one part threatens collective security, as it can lead to conflicts and instability. Example: Territorial disputes in the South China Sea have implications for regional and global security.

Relevance of this statement in the context of global humanitarian crises:

Humanitarian Responsibility: The statement underscores the global responsibility to address humanitarian crises. Example: The international community’s response to the Syrian Civil War, involving aid and refugee support, reflects a collective effort to mitigate injustice.
Empathy Across Borders: It highlights the importance of empathy in responding to global crises. Example: The worldwide support for Nepal during the 2015 earthquake demonstrates empathy transcending geographical boundaries .
Preventing Escalation: Addressing injustice in humanitarian crises prevents their escalation and wider impact. Example: Early international intervention in the Ebola outbreak in West Africa helped prevent a global health disaster.
Upholding Human Rights: The statement emphasises the need to uphold human rights universally. Example: Global condemnation and sanctions against Myanmar for the Rohingya crisis show a commitment to human rights.
Global Governance: The quote stresses the role of international organizations in maintaining justice. Example: The United Nations’ involvement in various humanitarian crises like the Afghan crisis, Yemen war, and recent Ukraine war underlines the need for global governance to uphold justice.
Moral Obligation: It emphasizes that there is a moral imperative to oppose injustice everywhere in order to maintain a just society. Example: International sanctions against North Korea reflect a global stance against human rights abuses.
Shared Humanity: The statement reinforces the concept of shared humanity and the need to support each other. Example: Global solidarity shown during the Australian bushfires of 2019-2020 exemplifies this shared humanity.
Precedent for Future Crises: How we respond to current crises sets a precedent for future global responses. Example: The international collaboration seen during the COVID-19 pandemic will influence how future health crises are managed .

Conclusion

Going ahead, as we face various humanitarian crises, this quote serves as a beacon, guiding our collective actions towards a more just and equitable world . It inspires hope and determination, encouraging us to strive for a future where justice prevails everywhere, affirming King’s belief that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”

To get PDF version, Please click on "Print PDF" button.

Recent Questions
Related Post
Most Viewed Questions

Latest Comments

Recent editorial.

Cyber Warfare (Fifth Domain of Warfare): Revision

On the extended coverage of the Ayushman scheme Bh...

India’s role in peacemaking in Ukraine

India’s sickle cell challenge

Coaching centres had a free run with toppers ads. ...

Revision: Food Processing in India

Popular Current Affairs

News In Shorts : 13 September 2024

Cholera Resurgence

India’s Proposal to Reduce Remittance Costs

Elephant Migration from Nilgiris to New York

Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminolog...

Our Courses

THE MOST LEARNING PLATFORM

Learn From India's Best Faculty

Our Initiatives

Beginner’s roadmap, quick links.

PW-Only IAS came together specifically to carry their individual visions in a mission mode. Infusing affordability with quality and building a team where maximum members represent their experiences of Mains and Interview Stage and hence, their reliability to better understand and solve student issues.

Subscribe our Newsletter

Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter and be the first to know about our latest Initiatives, Quality Content, and much more.

Contact Details

G-Floor,4-B Pusa Road, New Delhi, 110060

+91 9920613613
[email protected]

Download Our App

Biginner's roadmap, suscribe now form, fill the required details to get early access of quality content..

Join Us Now

(Promise! We Will Not Spam You.)

CURRENT AF.

Select centre Online Mode Hybrid Mode PWonlyIAS Delhi (ORN) PWonlyIAS Delhi (MN) PWonlyIAS Lucknow PWonlyIAS Patna Other

Select course UPSC Online PSC ONline UPSC + PSC ONLINE UPSC Offline PSC Offline UPSC+PSC Offline UPSC Hybrid PSC Hybrid UPSC+PSC Hybrid Other

</div>

Injustice Anywhere Is A Threat To Justice Everywhere Essay

When Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963, he spoke about the need for justice and equality for all people, regardless of race. King understood that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. This is just as true today as it was then.

Slavery is one of the most obvious examples of injustice. It’s hard to imagine anything more unjust than one person owning another person and treating them as property. Slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865, but it still exists in many parts of the world today. Even in countries where slavery is not legal, there are still people who are treated as property. Women, for example, are often discriminated against and treated like second-class citizens.

Liberalism is based on the belief that all people are equal and should have the same rights and opportunities. Martin Luther King Jr. was a liberal, and he fought for the rights of all people, regardless of race. Today, there are still many people who believe in liberalism and fight for justice. However, there are also many people who believe that some groups of people are more deserving of justice than others.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We need to continue to fight for the rights of all people, no matter their race, gender, or any other characteristic. We need to stand up to discrimination and bigotry in all forms. Only then can we create a world that is truly just and equal for all.

Inconceivably, there are those who believe that what one does is just because it happens to be difficult or impossible. These people believe this way because they cannot comprehend how doing so would hurt someone else. In any case, the term injustice refers to anything from the absence of justice to its exact polar opposite. The word is used either in reference to a particular occurrence or even a larger event. Today, crime and social injustice are frequently mentioned together in the media.

There are people who will say that a single event, or even a person, can cause injustice. But is that really the case?

Slavery is probably one of the most well-known and largest examples of injustice in history. It was only within the last century or so that slavery was finally abolished. Even though it was abolished, there are still people today who live in conditions similar to slavery. Slavery is defined as “the state of one bound in servitude to a master.” This means that the slave has no freedom and is forced to work for the master. The slave is also considered property of the master and can be bought and sold like any other piece of property. Slavery is often seen as an unjust system because it takes away the freedom of the slave and treats them as if they are not a human being.

Liberalism is a political philosophy that believes in individual rights, liberty, and equality. Liberalism also believes in government by consent of the people. This means that the government should only have the power that the people allow it to have. Liberalism is often seen as a threat to justice because it can be used to justify any number of injustices. For example, some people believe that slavery was justified by liberalism because it allowed for the free market to exist. Others believe that liberalism is a threat to justice because it allows for too much freedom and not enough regulation.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights leader who fought for the rights of African Americans. He is best known for his “I Have A Dream” speech. In this speech, he talked about how he wanted to see a day when all people were treated equally. He also talked about how he wanted to see an end to discrimination and injustice. King was assassinated in 1968, but his dream is still alive today.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. This means that if there is one instance of injustice, it threatens the existence of justice altogether. Injustice is often seen as a threat to society because it can lead to more violence and crime. It can also lead to mistrust and hatred between people. Injustice is a problem that needs to be addressed in order to maintain a just society.

People may also come together and confront one other to either defend or dispute these faults. This may be examined in several historical cases, as well as those that encourage Martin Luther King Jr.’s belief that any place with injustice is a portent for the rest of society.

King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is an excellent example of someone who has been fighting for justice and agitating against the status quo to make a change. In his letter, King talks about his philosophy towards social change and how it should be done. He also addresses some of the criticisms he was receiving at the time. Despite all this, he still firmly believes that people have to stand up for what is right, even if it seems like an impossible task.

While there have been many movements since King wrote his letter, it seems like not much has changed in terms of how people view social injustice. There are still those who are content with the way things are and do not see any reason to try and fix something that is not broken. However, there are also plenty of people who are aware of the ills of society and are working to make a difference, even if it is just a small one.

It is important to note that social injustice does not only exist in America but all around the world. There are many countries that have a long history of slavery and oppression. Even though some of these countries have made great strides in recent years, there is still much work to be done in order to achieve true equality.

The fight for justice is an ongoing battle that will likely never be won completely. However, it is important to keep fighting for what is right and to never give up hope. As long as there are people who are willing to stand up against injustice, there is a chance that things can change for the better. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This is as true now as it was when he first said it. In order to make the world a better place, we must all work together to fight against injustice in all its forms.

More Essays

How Does Javert Fight Against Injustice Essay
Examples Of Environmental Injustice Essay
Summary Of I Have A Dream Speech Essay
Justice In The Dark Knight Essay
The Moral Arc Of Justice Essay
Socrates Ideas Of True Justice In The Republic Essay
Essay about Plato Justice
Essay about Theme Of Justice In Plato’s Republic
Gandhi And Martin Luther King Similarities

“Injustice Anywhere Is a Threat to Justice Everywhere”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere

Table of contents

Cite this Essay

Related Essays

Still can’t find what you need?

Related Essays on Justice

Related Topics

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

Martin Luther King, Jr. on Justice and the Four Steps to Successful Nonviolent Resistance

www.themarginalian.org

PRINT ARTICLE

Dr. King's Legacy

Justice through Journalism

Justice For All

Challenging The Legal System

How Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Changed My Life

Week 39: Peace - A Ripple of Hope: Remembering Robert F. Kennedy

Week 38: Quality Education - The Importance of Youth Activism

Week 37: Decent Housing - Connecting Neighborhoods

Week 36: Poverty Since MLK

Week 35: Better Jobs - The Strike for Better Working Conditions

Week 34: Addressing Poverty - Poor People's Campaign

Week 33: Educational Equity - Part 2: Quality Schools

Week 32: Education Equity - Part One: Funding

Week 31: Better Jobs: Two-Year vs. Four-Year Higher Education

Bell Tolling Commemoration

JCI Symposium on Social Equality

A Song to Remember

A Black and White World

A Black and White World by Summer Knowles

A Grandkid of the Movement - Intergenerational Activism

Steve Salky

Week 30: Decent Housing- Redlining Your Community

Week 29: Justice - Ban the Box: 2nd Chance Too Many?

Week 28: Poverty - A Tribute to the 1968 Sanitation Workers

Week 27: Peace: Nonviolence as a Way of Life

Week 26: Better Jobs - Resumes & Interviews Matter

Week 25: Justice Dinner

Week 24: Affordable Housing: New Challenges, Old Policies

Week 23: Quality Education: Teacher Preparedness

Week 22: Daring to Dream: Generational Poverty

Week 21: Better Jobs: Gender Pay Gap

MLK50 – Where Do We Go From Here?

Week 19: Monumental Justice: Heritage or Hate?

Week 18: Rethinking Education

Week 17: Undoing a Generation of Student Loan Debt

Week 16: The Meaning of Blight

Week 15: Peaceful Protest: Civil Disobedience

Week 14: Voting Rights: Power to the People!

Week 13: School Choice For Quality Education

Week 12: All Labor Has Dignity

Week 11: Realities of Poverty Today

Week 10: Housing: My Address, My Future

Week 9: Peace: The Nonviolent Way

Week 8: And Justice For All

Week 7: Quality Education

Week 6: Better Jobs = Better Society

Week 5: Poverty: A Moral Dilemma

Week 4: Fair Housing in a Beloved Community

Week 3: A Threat to Justice

Week 2: What is Peace?

Week 1 of 50: No Justice. No Peace. Know Justice. Know Peace.

Integrating St. Augustine Beach

What is your story?

Jamara's Story

Alvin O’Neal Jackson, D. Min, Chair, National Clergy MLK 50 Leadership Team

When A City Fails to Hear

In their own words

MLK50: Special Report

Take It to the Bridge

Experienced Racism in School

The Assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Black Children Arrested & Assaulted in Birmingham

A Man for All People

The 1963 Detroit Walk to Freedom

Dr. King, the Movement and the Legacy

1963: Tragedy, Triumphs and Impact

Kennedy Orders End to Housing Discrimination