As part of our annual MLK Speaker Series, we welcome Roselyn Elder, the founder of African-American Heritage in Massachusetts as she speaks about “Reclaiming Malcolm X.” The event will take place February 4 at noon in the BTC auditorium.
Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.
Each year on the third Monday of January, we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Most people recognize this iconic Civil Rights leader as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century. He is praised for his advocacy for civil rights of marginalized, underrepresented, and working-class people.
King’s ability to mobilize people came to fruition in 1963 as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This was a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement where 250,000 people from across the country marched to Washington, D.C. and held a rally at the Lincoln Memorial.
King later established the Poor People’s Campaign. This effort was an extension of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s plan to eradicate poverty in America. This initiative aimed to address poverty and economic inequality across the U.S. His intention was to launch a non-violent protest in Washington, D.C. to demand jobs, unemployment insurance, a fair minimum wage, and education for poor adults and children.
The campaign sought to unite people of all backgrounds and colors to fight for economic justice. King believed that African-Americans and other minorities would never achieve full citizenship without economic security.
The three main demands from this campaign were as follows:
1. Passage of a comprehensive Civil Rights Bill to end segregation and discrimination.
2. Equal access to employment, education, and economic opportunities.
3. Immediate desegregation of public facilities, schools and transportation.
King’s efforts with the March on Washington built momentum for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A year later, the March’s focus on voting rights contributed to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These actions inspired future social justice movements and continues to serve as a powerful symbol of collective action and advocacy. His famous quote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” continues to be a rallying cry for activists to address social inequities in our communities today.
In service,
Ainsley Thomas
Chief Diversity Officer