As
we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King life and legacy in next few days,
some of us are reminded of Dr. King’s civil rights movement in 1960’s. I
had just started my college education in NY and my roommate, Linda, was
black. So, I got to know Dr. King initially through Linda’s perspective
and later from my own conviction to social justice and activism at
college campuses during and after shootings at Kent State University in
Ohio on May 4 1970 that led to killings of four students and wounding nine others by Ohio National Guard. However, some of our younger members who were not born then might ask what is the relevant of Dr. King’s struggle to American today - 47 years after his death?
In
recent months, events across US have brought a new urgency to words
spoken by Dr. King, in March 1968. We face pressing questions about
injustice and racism as expressed eloquently by Dr. King “Somehow we
must come to see that in this pluralistic, interrelated society, we are
all tied together in a single garment of destiny.” in 1968 and the
Persian Poet, Saadi Shirazi, in 12th century "Of One Essence is the Human Race, Thusly has Creation put the Base. One Limb impacted is sufficient, For all Others to feel the Mace. The Unconcern'd with Others' Plight, Are but Brutes with Human Face” - no wonder this poem, known as Bani Adam, decorates the UN Hall of Nations in New York City.
As
members of a complex and interconnected society we seek to bring a
greater understanding of these important questions in their many
dimensions in pursuit of building a more just and peaceful world. As we
celebrate the spirit of Dr. King, I like to invite you to watch these
two historical videos of him:
1. “The
Other America” on April 14, 1967 at Stanford University. Dr. King’s
Video (48 mins) starts at 4 mins and ends at 52 mins:
2.
“Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” on April 4, 1967 at New
York’s River Side Church, exactly one year to date when Dr. King was
assassinated in April 4, 1968 in Memphis, TN:
Over the next few days you are invited to celebrate Dr. King’s life and legacy through a series of special events in Madison:
- Fri. Jan 16, 4:30-7:00 PM a free Community Dinner at the UW-Madison, Gordon Dinning and Event Center, 770 W. Dayton St., 2nd Floor.
- Sat. Jan. 17, 6-11:30 PM at Marriott West - I Have a Dream - with Women in Focus to raise scholarship fund for students of color
- Sun. Jan 18, 7:45 AM, the 31st Annual Urban League Youth Recognition Breakfast at Edgewood High School, 2219 Monroe Street.
- Mon. Jan 19, 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM, the Youth Day of Service, the President’s national call to service, at Wisconsin Institute of Discovery at UW-Madison, 330 N. Orchard St. between University Avenue and Campus Drive. This event is free and open to any students at Dane County but registration is limited and required [www.ulgm.org].
- Mon. Jan 19, 12 Noon, the 35th annual MLK Tribute “And We Still March” featuring guest speaker, Anthony “ an Jones, civil rights activist, author, attorney, and CNN Political Contributor, at the Capital Rotunda, WI State Capital.
- Mon Jan 19, 6-7:30 PM at Overture Center for the Arts featuring Diane Nash, a pioneer of the American Civil Rights Movement. The program will start with a “Freedom Songs Sing-in” from 5:30 PM in the Rotunda of the Overture
Lastly, here are few famous quotes by Dr. King that worth remembering:
- “Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere”
- “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”
- "Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals”
- "Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress”
Thank you for your participation and attention.
Azam
