The Dream Lives On: The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
His powerful words continue to inspire civil rights activists worldwide more than 50 years after his death.
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Released on Sept. 17, 1958, King’s book chronicles the Montgomery bus boycott. King was especially gratified that the protest — which was successful — was nonviolent and its success elevated the self-worth of Blacks far beyond Montgomery.
In his book, King explained why racial equality was an issue for all Americans, not just Blacks. He wrote: “The mere fact that we live in the United States means that we are caught in a network of inescapable mutuality. Therefore, no American can afford to be apathetic about the problem of racial justice. It is a problem that meets every man at his front door. The racial problem will be solved in America to the degree that every American considers himself personally confronted with it. Whether one lives in the heart of the Deep South or on the periphery of the North, the problem of injustice is his problem; it is his problem because it is America’s problem.”
On April 18, 1959, King and other religious and civil rights leaders addressed a group of approximately 26,000 marchers in Washington, D.C., who were demonstrating for the desegregation of schools. The participants had marched down the National Mall to the Sylvan Theatre, where the program was held.
Noting that a large percentage of the crowd was students, King urged them to be a diligent in pursuing civil rights as in pursuing a career. “Whatever career you may choose for yourself—doctor, lawyer, teacher—let me propose an avocation to be pursued along with it,” he said. “Become a dedicated fighter for civil rights. Make it a central part of your life.”
On April 10, 1960, King was the guest speaker at Spelman College’s 79th Annual Founder’s Day. His mother (far right in the photo) was an alumna of the school, the oldest college for black women. (The gentleman in the center of the photo is Dr. Albert Manley, who was then the president of Spelman.)
In his speech, King encouraged the women of Spelman to become involved in the struggle for racial equality.
In June 1963, a collection of King’s sermons was published. The sermons deal primarily with segregation, but with a strong emphasis on religious values. King saw the struggle for equality as both a civil and a religious issue. No man is free until all men are free.
King also understood the power of what Christians call “agape” — a love that extends beyond the self to include the well-being of others, no matter what the circumstances. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy,” he wrote.
In April 1963, while participating in a peaceful anti-segregation march in Birmingham, Alabama, King was arrested on the grounds that he did not have a parade permit. While in solitary confinement in the Birmingham City Jail, he wrote an open letter that was published on April 16, 1963.
In his letter, King addressed criticisms of his civil rights activism and emphasized that equality was not something that would eventually come along if everyone would just wait. He wrote, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
King’s most famous speech was delivered on Aug. 28, 1963, to a crowd of approximately 250,000 people on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. They had gathered there for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom which at the time, turned out to be the largest demonstration in U.S. history.
Standing in front of the Lincoln Monument, King called for an end to racism, saying, ““I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
In 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work. In accepting the award on Nov. 10, 1964, at the University of Oslo, he told the audience, “I accept this award today with an abiding faith in America and an audacious faith in the future of mankind.”
He went on to say, “The beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace is more precious than diamonds or silver or gold.” Not too surprisingly, he donated his prize money of $54,123 to civil rights organizations.
On Oct. 22, 1964, King addressed an audience of 2,500 in Finney Chapel at Oberlin College. He encouraged students to keep up the nonviolent fight for racial equality.
Ironically — and sadly — the proponent of nonviolence received death threats before his visit and required police protection during his appearance.
On Dec. 24, 1967, King delivered the sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where he and his father served as co-pastors. Again, his devotion to the concept of agape came through as he called for peace on Earth through nonviolence and unconditional love for one another.
On Feb. 6, 1968, King delivered an address at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. He urged the audience to look at the things they considered important and consider if they had their values in order.
King asked, “What does it profit a generation, what does it profit a nation to own the whole world of means — televisions, electric lights and automobiles — and lose in the end the soul?”
King delivered what would prove to be his last Sunday sermon at the Washington National Cathedral on March 21, 1968.
The sermon discussed the many challenges facing the world, including racial injustice, poverty and the war in Vietnam. King repeated his admonition that change came as the result of action, not just sitting and waiting for things to happen. And he again invoked the power of agape, imploring his audience to get involved in making change for the benefit of all. “We’ve got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end … either we go up together, or we go down together,” he told them.
In March 1968, King went to Memphis, Tennessee, to support sanitation workers in their strike. A demonstration turned violent, but King refused to leave.
On April 3, in what would prove to be his final speech, King addressed an audience at the Mason Temple, Church of God in Christ Headquarters in Memphis. He discussed the strike and urged his listeners to remain united and continue nonviolent protests and boycotts.
Prophetically, he closed his speech by saying, “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!
And so I’m happy tonight.
I’m not worried about anything.
I’m not fearing any man!
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!
Less than 24 hours later, he was shot and killed as he stood on the balcony of his motel room.
He was 39 years old.
In March 1968, King went to Memphis, Tennessee, to support sanitation workers in their strike. A demonstration turned violent, but King refused to leave.
On April 3, in what would prove to be his final speech, King addressed an audience at the Mason Temple, Church of God in Christ Headquarters in Memphis. He discussed the strike and urged his listeners to remain united and continue nonviolent protests and boycotts.
Prophetically, he closed his speech by saying, “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!
And so I’m happy tonight.
I’m not worried about anything.
I’m not fearing any man!
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!
Less than 24 hours later, he was shot and killed as he stood on the balcony of his motel room.
He was 39 years old.
On Monday, Jan. 17, the nation will observe Martin Luther King Jr. day. He was actually born Jan. 15, the grandson and son of Baptist ministers. His grandfather and father each in turn served as pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
King followed them into the ministry, eventually becoming co-pastor with his father. But first, he graduated from his grandfather’s and father’s alma mater, Morehouse College, then received his bachelor of divinity degree from Crozier Theological Seminary in Upland, Pennsylvania. Finally, he earned his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston College.
By the time he became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, King was already active in the struggle for civil rights. A member of the NAACP’s executive committee, he readily took on the task of leading the Montgomery bus boycott against segregated seating. The boycott began four days after the arrest of Rosa Parks and lasted more than a year. During that time, King was arrested and his home was firebombed. In the end, the Supreme Court declared segregated seating unlawful and King had become a recognized force in the civil rights movement.
The following year, King and other activists founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to coordinate and support organizations working for the civil rights of Black Americans. Over the next 11 years, he traveled more than 6 million miles, made more than 2,500 speeches and wrote five books and myriad articles. He led numerous marches and protests, conferred with President John F. Kennedy and campaigned for President Lyndon B. Johnson. He was physically assaulted on numerous occasions and arrested more than 20 times. He was also awarded five honorary degrees, named Time magazine’s Man of the Year and became the youngest man to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Nonviolent Warrior
While King modeled his approach to civil rights activism on the nonviolent techniques of Ghandi, he was unmistakably a warrior. His strong and unwavering dedication to civil rights served as an example to other activists. His incredible talent for both writing and speaking spread his influence even further. And his words continue to inspire, nearly 54 years after his death. Many of his most famous quotes are inscribed on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in downtown Washington, D.C.
Scroll through the gallery above to learn more about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and some of his most memorable observations.
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