The great leader and hero, Dr. MLK Jr., is deservedly honored on the third Monday of January every year. I have been thinking about his legacy and thus, reading about him and learning remarkable things that I never knew. History’s Sarah Pruitt and Christopher Klein report in their articles some very interesting facts. I’ll summarize a few herein:
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was brilliant. In fact, he skipped grades nine and twelve before enrolling in college at the age of 15. He never intended to follow in his father and grandfather’s footsteps by becoming a minister. Nonetheless, after being convinced by the Morehouse College President, he was ordained before his college graduation and went on to obtain his doctorate in Systematic Theology at Boston University.
King was imprisoned 29 times for acts of civil disobedience and other minor charges like driving 5 mph over the speed limit. This never deterred him. In fact, it only served to remind him of the brave work and sacrifice necessary to achieve his goal of civil rights equality. He forgave his oppressors time and time again. In fact, it is nothing short of a miracle that he wasn’t killed a decade before his assassination when at a book signing in 1958, he was stabbed with a letter opener in the chest by a mentally ill woman, Izola Ware Curry. The blade was just centimeters from his aorta and nearly killed him, yet he once again reiterated his nonviolent approach and forgave his attacker.
The “I Have a Dream” speech delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial before 250,000 was King’s most famous. It may have been the 20th century’s most unforgettable event. Surprisingly, there are some facts about the event that most people don’t even know.
For instance, despite the pivotal role that women like Rosa Parks and Daisy Bates played in the movement, there were initially no women included in the March on Washington. The speakers organized to be at the March were all men. However, at the suggestion of the only woman on the planning committee, a tribute was added, “Negro Women Fighters for Freedom.” Thus, Bates spoke briefly, “We will sit-in, we will kneel-in and we will lie-in if necessary until every Negro in America can vote…This we pledge to the women of America.” The other unknown fact about the famous speech is that it was not the script King had prepared, rather it was at the urging of Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer, that he improvised and told the audience about the dream (despite many advisers discouraging the theme.) The effect was powerful. In fact, all the TV networks aired the speech, and it was the first time many Americans had heard King deliver an entire speech, including President Kennedy. Unfortunately, King’s speech didn’t have positive results with the FBI. The FBI referred to the speech as “a powerful, demagogic speech which must mark him now … as the most dangerous Negro of the future in this Nation.” Shortly thereafter, the FBI instituted intense surveillance of King which lasted until he was killed in 1968.
King’s last public speech was a foreshadowing of his assassination. It’s as if he had a vision that his death was imminent. He traveled to Memphis in 1968 to support the city’s black garbage workers. In his speech, he assured his audience that “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now…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 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.” He was assassinated the very next day.
We are inspired by this honorable man and reminded every January that his legacy should be motivating to each and every one of us. His speech “I have a Dream” is worth reviewing. The words encourage us all to diligently pursue our dreams & work hard in doing so; invite, embrace and adapt to change because it is necessary and will happen faster than we realize if we truly commit to the hard work; align with similar thinking individuals or partners in order to exponentially spread the positive change; and get people excited and invested in our call for change – just like Dr. King who attracted large crowds of peaceful protesters. Whatever your platform, however large or small, we can all benefit from the great Dr’s life and begin implementing his messages today.