Over 56 years have passed since April 1968, the day that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated before the age of 40.
Dr. King’s untimely death at the hands of hatred shattered the hearts of all those sympathetic to the Civil Rights Movement. People that his work had gone unfinished, that he never truly got to see his iconic dream come to fruition. However, Dr. King left a lasting legacy of hope and unity that still serves as an inspiration today, even if we haven’t reached his dream all these years later. King’s legacy is celebrated not just on his holiday, but every day, through small acts of kindness, and treating each other as a neighbor. Through community-building acts such as mutual aid, food and clothing drives, and hosting holiday meals for those less fortunate, we follow his ideals and challenge each other to act selflessly.
Today, as we approach an uncertain future in this country, MLK’s ideals and messaging will be more important to remember than ever. Right now, it seems that those who wish to tear this country apart, those who stand against hope and unity, are louder than ever. This is exactly why those on the side of justice must band together, and follow his example of fighting against hate. As Dr. King says this about silence: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
However, this is obviously easier said than done, so where do we start? In his August 1963 letter, written from Birmingham Jail while imprisoned for his demonstrations, Dr. King writes about how cognizant he is of the interconnectedness between all communities. Dr. King continues that he cannot sit idle in Atlanta while he worries about what happens in Birmingham and other states. For him, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. He gave time and focus not only to his hometown but also thinking about other places that face the same racial violence and social inequalities underscoring a need for all Americans to shed our individualism. He reckons all Americans to care not only about those in our own backyard but realize that we all have a common goal that can only be achieved when we stop demonizing and judging each other’s differences. He recognized that differences only highlight our true selves and ideals for a better world, not only for ourselves but for future generations.
Later in the Birmingham letter, he lays out what he calls the four basic steps of a non-violent campaign: “1. Collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive, 2. Negotiation, 3. Self-Purification, and 4. Direct Action”. This is the same framework that King used in his battle for Civil Rights in highly segregated Birmingham, Alabama; however, they are just as applicable to our current political climate. It is in that third step especially, self-purification, where I believe hope and unity can be found. Through asking ourselves tough questions and workshopping our ideas, as Dr. King and his community did, we are allowed to fully realize our goals, and move towards direct action.
Direct action is the physical manifestation of our dreams for a better future and we need to not shy away from the lessons and teachings of Dr. King. While he is not physically present with us today, his memories and inspirations can and must live on through us each and every day. It’s only when we come together as a community that these aspirations can be fully actualized.
Read the reference article:
Isys Morrow (January 10, 2025). The power of hope and unity in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision.