As we reflect on Martin Luther King Day, it is important to understand that the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is more than a day. The work that Martin Luther King Jr. and countless others did during the Civil Rights Movement is not over. This day is not a marker of how far we’ve come, but rather a reminder of all we still have to do to strive towards being deserving of persons like Martin Luther King Jr. and the work that he did for all of us.
We know the intense divides that exist within this country – divides that have led to violence against and increased mortality of Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color in this country. Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, I am struck by many of his words, many of his words that are still far too applicable today, and so I leave you with these:
“But peace is not merely the absence of this tension, but the presence of justice…If peace means accepting second-class citizenship, I don’t want it. If peace means keeping my mouth shut in the midst of injustice and evil, I don’t want it. If peace means being complacently adjusted to a deadening status quo, I don’t want peace. If peace means a willingness to be exploited economically, dominated politically, humiliated and segregated, I don’t want peace. So in a passive, non-violent manner, we must revolt against this peace.” Excerpt fron King's "When Peace Becomes Obnoxious" speech delivered on 18 March 1956 at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.
To learn more about Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights Movement, and how you can work towards justice for all people now, here are a few resources you might want to review:
- School of Medicine Grand Rounds Speakers for MLK Week
- A list of resources and readings from a previous HSLIC post
- A testament of hope : the essential writings and speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford
- Stacey Abrams’ Twitter account
