“Let Freedom Ring,” is one of the most recognized phrases by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and remain today, words embedded in our country’s struggles. The right to dream of being whatever you choose and having the opportunity to achieve it, is the foundation of the American experience. The Civil Rights Movement led by Dr. King is recognized as one of the most significant movements in world history. During these times of turbulence and racial animosity in the 1950s and 60s, Dr. King brought to the forefront the systemic bigotry which existed in America (and other parts of the world); and he showed us that we were stronger united than separated.
Dr. King was a well-educated, Southern Baptist preacher born in 1929 who grew up during this turmoil. His experiences with racism and inequality helped mold his ideals, motivating him to graduate from high school at 15 years-old, eventually graduating from Morehouse University with his B.A. Later, he received his doctorate’s degree in theology, from Boston University. Dr. King’s keen understanding of racism and discrimination allowed him to establish the first Black, nonviolent demonstration in the United States, the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This boycott directly impacted the finances of owners of businesses who turned a blind eye to racism.
Dr. King also understood that politics and laws were in direct relation to the growing racism and discrimination in our country. This forced him to become more involved in the struggle for equality and a member of the executive committee for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP). He eventually planned a successful drive in Alabama to register Black voters. During his time, Dr. King fought against many troubling issues, aside from racism, such as discrimination, poverty, and inequality.
He was also a champion of Human and Labor Rights, and often spoke reverently of the pursuit of happiness for all Americans. Tragically, his vision was cut short on April 4, 1968, when he was assassinated at the young age of 39 years-old in Memphis, Tennessee, where he had been fighting alongside the Union (AFSCME) for the rights and dignity of sanitation workers.
Today, Dr. King’s dream continues, with many barriers of racism and discrimination removed; and while this does not negate current concerns of racism which exists throughout our country and the world, it does speak to how far we have come, as a nation, because of Dr. King. As we consider where we would have been without his leadership, where we are now, and how much of a difference he truly made, we understand the significance his presence, message, and burden of love provided.
Throughout his life, his philosophical understanding of hatred and injustice led to the establishment of nonviolent protests and civil disobedience. These movements created significant societal changes, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Services Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The world will be forever grateful for the immense and eternal impact Dr. King left. In his honor, we remember Dr. King by giving back, volunteering, and being impactful to our communities, as MLK Day coincides as a National Day of Service.
In Solidarity,
Hydrick Thomas, President | Mac Johnson, Council Executive Vice President | Johnny Jones, Council Secretary-Treasurer | Thomas Schoregge, Region 1 V.P. | John Hubert, Region 2 V.P. | Janis Casey, Region 3 V.P. | Becky Mancha, Region 4 V.P. | Greg Biel, Region 5 V.P. | Bobby Orozco Jr., Region 6 V.P. | Joe Shuker, Region 7 V.P. | Victor Payes Martinez, Fair Practices Coordinator | Concetta Fialkowski, Women’s Coordinator | Christopher Blessing, AFGE Council 100 Attorney