On January 18, the nation will pause to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. One of the great leaders in American history, Dr. King fought with tireless hope and grace to advance civil rights and end racial segregation under the shameful Jim Crow laws.
Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The March was an incredible moment in history, and thanks to the work of Dr. King and other civil rights icons such as John Lewis, Roy Wilkins, and Bayard Rustin, it helped lead to the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Dr. King’s extraordinary legacy – that of the power of peaceful civic disobedience and nonviolent protest to enact change – sits in stark contrast to the events of last week. On August 28, 1963, close to 300,000 people marched on Washington in support of racial equality, voting rights, and Black liberation. The very lives of Black Americans were at stake, and still those gathered that day remained peaceful as King and others spoke to the gathered throngs about the importance of freedom and equality. On January 6, a mob carrying Confederate flags and neo-Nazi paraphernalia carried out an armed insurrection at the Capitol, attempting to subvert democracy and overturn the results of a fair and legal election.
As our nation slowly recovers from the shocking attack on the Capitol, let us look to Martin Luther King, Jr. for inspiration and recommit ourselves to the work ahead. New leadership in Washington won’t solve all of the problems facing our society, especially that of entrenched racism. Take time this weekend to reflect on Dr. King’s works and words. Amplify the voices of BIPOC communities. Support Black Lives Matter and racial justice organizations across the country. Shop at Black-owned businesses. And never hesitate to confront hate, racism, and injustice when you see it. As Dr. King said: “The time is always right to do what is right.”