Being born in the United States of America in the late 1980’s I, along with many other students across this country, have experienced African-American history one of two ways in our schooling. First, the month of February is “Black History Month”. Started in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson as only a one week celebration during the week of Abraham Lincoln’s and Fredrick Douglass’s birthdays, it was expanded in 1976 to the entire month. During this month every year from first grade through senior year of high school students learn either about the underground railroad led by Harriet Tubman, the refusal of Rosa Parks to sit elsewhere on the Montgomery bus, the scientific endeavors of George Washington Carver, or the assistance of Fredrick Douglass to President Lincoln. As if these were the only achievements African-Americans have made. The second is Martin Luther King Jr. Day which was signed by President Ronald Reagan on November 2, 1983 creating it as a federal holiday. The holiday was first observed on January 20, 1986. Since this is a federal holiday many schools and federal buildings are closed for the day.
Most likely any American can tell you something about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was an activist and Baptist minister who led the Civil Rights Movement is the common knowledge of this man. He was much more than that. He was a student, father, husband, teacher, brother, revolutionist, and many other things.
Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in the segregated South to Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King in Atlanta, GA. His birth name was actually Michael because the physician mistakenly wrote the wrong name on the birth certificate. Martin was one of three children. By the age of 15, Martin enrolled in Morehouse College in Atlanta. At Morehouse Martin joined the fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest Black Fraternity. He had already skipped grades in high school and now was a member of one of the oldest black traditions joining the ranks of many prominent black men like W.E.B. Du Bois. Martin had been encouraged and found himself on the path for fame from an early age. After graduating from Morehouse with a degree in sociology King went to Crozer Theological Seminary to become an ordained pastor. In 1951 he began his doctoral studies in Systematic Theology at Boston University. He received his Ph. D. in 1955.
In that same year, on December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks broke the color line by refusing to give her seat. Though this was not the first time an African American refused to give up a seat on the segregated bus, it was the right time. Ms. Parks’s refusal to give up her seat on this particular day sparked the Civil Rights Movement.
Dr. King was a pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery. At this time in history the Reverends of the Churches were the voices of the African-American community. Since King was young, energetic, and new to the community, he became the leading voice for what has become known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The bus boycott lasted for 382 days resulting in The United States Supreme Court outlawing racial segregation on all public transportation. This was the first of many Movements to come.
In 1957 Dr. King founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The purpose of SCLC was to control the moral authority and organize power of black churches to conduct non-violent protests in the service of civil rights reform. King used the tactic of non-violence because he knew it would be the way African-Americans could gain freedom. Dr. King studied men like Gandhi and Henry Thoreau. Both of these men advocated for Civil Disobedience, which is the active refusal to obey certain laws without resorting to violence. Dr. King used the Greek word for love “agape” to explain the Civil Rights Movement. Agape is a love not of two individuals but a love of understanding each other and having a mutual respect for another. Dr. King knew that violence in a country founded and bred in violence would only promote and encourage more white violence on the black community. He needed to show the world that blacks could not be second class citizens in a country that cries “Freedom and Liberty” for ALL people.
Over the next decade Dr. King, along with many others, led the Civil Rights Movement throughout the South. In 1963, SCLC along with five other Civil Rights organizations organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The march had specific demands which were: an end to racial segregation in public schools; meaningful civil rights legislation, including a law prohibiting racial discrimination in employment; protection of civil rights workers from police brutality; a $2 minimum wage for all workers; and self-government for the District of Columbia. The March is where Dr. King made his most famous speech “I Have a Dream”. This is the Dr. King that is given to us in the history books and schools. Dr. King went through many transitions throughout the entire Civil Rights Movement but the history books do not show him as a multifaceted leader.
King was also instrumental in what has become known as “Bloody Sunday.” This was a march from Selma to Montgomery which had to be attempted three times because of the violence by the police inflicted on the peaceful protesters. The media coverage of unarmed protesters being beaten caused a public outrage.
Not everything was successful for Dr. King. The Albany movement in Georgia did not work because of the divisions within the black community and the canny, low-key response by local government. Sheriff Pritchett had read King’s work and did not bring violence upon the protesters. He instead used King’s non-violent approach against him. Yet, this did not discourage King’s movement.
Dr. King saw the racism in this country as a huge part of the oppression. Yet, he also realized that there was an economic factor that created divisions within the United States. King had told Alex Haley in an interview that $50 billion should be given to black people and other disadvantaged groups in the U.S. over a ten year period to help these oppressed people.
Dr. King moved his movement North starting in Chicago’s poorest slums. Dr. King stated he never experienced as much racism and fear for his life until he came North. This proves that the “free Northern” states where just as racist if not more as their Southern counterparts.
Dr. King spoke out against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. He was one of the first public figures to speak against the invasion of Indochina. On April 4, 1967, Dr. King insisted the invasion of Vietnam was “to occupy it as an American colony” and called the U.S. government "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today." These are some strong words coming from one man. So it is not shocking that the F.B.I. infiltrated and tapped Dr. King’s phone calls. The F.B.I. tried deeming King as a communist to diminish his popularity. While King did not believe in western capitalism he also rejected communism because it denied God.
In 1968, King and SCLC organized the “Poor Peoples Campaign” which was to address economic justice. King tried bringing a cross racial community together to fight the economic problems in America.
On April 4, 1968, Dr. King was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was in Memphis supporting garbage workers’ rights for better wages. The death of Dr. King created a public outrage which resulted in riots in 60 cities. The father of the Civil Rights Movement and leader of non-violent protest was killed by a violent and cowardly act.
Today, King is remembered for being the leader of African-Americans. This is an inaccurate statement. Yes, King fought for black rights throughout this country but he stood against the racist and economic oppressive American government. King saw injustice and was gravitated to correcting it. King did not see color as a barrier. It is sad that our educational system teaches Dr. King as someone for little black students to admire. The truth is Dr. King is a role model for all people in every walk of life not just those of color. Yet, every child in this country is taught to look up to Christopher Columbus and George Washington. Columbus had enslaved and committed violent acts against Native American people. Washington had been a slave owner and it is documented that he once sold a slave for a keg of rum. King George of England saw Washington as a terrorist against the British for committing high treason against the king.
I find it disheartening about the lack of knowledge people today have about King and the legacy he has created. The reason why there is a black female Secretary of State is because of Dr. King. The reason there is a BET is because of Dr. King. The reason why black and other minority children can go to school and either embrace or reject what Dr. King has done is because of Dr. King. I cannot believe that some people even believe that they have freedom because time has elapsed. The real reason why we have the so-called “freedoms” we are given is because of Dr. King and all the others supporting him. Let’s not forget that without the masses following King there would be no movement. The racism in this country is ingrained into the seeds that founded this country and nothing would ever change without standing up against the oppression. Dr. King stated, “A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.” This is a powerful statement and something that I don’t feel people fully understand anymore. People today are not willing to give up their individual comforts or alter their lifestyles for a greater humanitarian cause. People are to wrapped up in their individual lives, gratifications, and own needs. This cycle needs to be broken and activism needs to be encouraged to secure our basic freedoms outlined in all the important documents on which this country was founded.
