Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted equality for all mankind. He marched, fought and died to ensure that this would take place. In the years since his death in 1968 much has changed. Much has not. Share your thoughts on how far we’ve come and how far we have to go to achieve the dream Dr. King spoke about. Find MLK day events here.
I was a white teenager living in a small southern Alabama town during the 60's. I remember the many standards of that time that now seem so cruel and stupid - separate water fountains and restrooms and waiting rooms and schools. I worked at a drug store soda fountain for a while. There was a walk up window at the back. If you weren't white, this is where you went to place your order and wait while it was prepared. The one black cook took the orders and the money, but she was not allowed to put the money in the register. She had to hand it to a white worker. This was the norm. Blacks were not allowed to handle money. It was assumed that they could not be trusted.
Most white households had a black "maid." For very low wages they did cleaning, ironing, etc. My family employed one of these "maids."
When I had to have a mole removed by our local doctor, a black nurse assisted him. He felt it necessary to assure me that she was a very competent nurse.
I was a senior when our high school was integrated. Four brave black students volunteered to attend our school. I wish I could say that I took the high road and was friendly and welcoming. But I wasn't and neither was anyone else. We simply ignored them. There was no fighting or name calling, no protesting by parents - just resignation. When it came time to take the senior picture, we were lined up by height. But the only remaining black student was placed at the end of the line, next to me. Her correct placement by height was next to a boy that the teachers told me would have complained.
My first job out of high school was working as the secretary at the newly-formed Head Start center. This was my first experience as a racial minority. Of all the employees, only three were white. I was treated with friendliness and respect - the way I wish I had treated my black schoolmates. One day I accompanied one of the black employees to her house on an errand. I was shocked to see how clean and "normal" her home was. The attitude at that time was that all blacks lived in dirty shacks in "n" town. The "n" word was used freely by young and old alike during those times. I'd lilke to say that I never said it, but I don't know for sure.
Because of this background, I marvel every day at how far we have come. I do not take for granted that all races now live, eat, socialize, and work together. I remember the bad times and how bad they were. But I do not for a minute think that all is now perfect. There are still many forms of racism. The old attitudes are often now directed at Hispanics. I hope that we continue to move forward and always consider "the content of character" instead of the "color of skin."
The students at North Chatham School decorated brown grocery bags, donated by Food Lion Governors Village, with their hopes and dreams for our country and world, in honor of Martin Luther King's birthday. They are being used at the store for groceries through the holiday. Within the school, many discussions were held on the importance of MLK and the holiday.
Are there any photos of the bags the children decorated?
I am still dismayed at the polorization which is self inflicted. I am talking about the use of country of heritage origin. As an American, I refuse to use the term, German-American, Irish-American, Welch-American, or British-American. I'm just American. I don't have dual citizenship, or a desire to separate myself from the rest of Americans, with a "special identity". The point here is the polarizing effect of hyphenated country of heritage being utilized. We are just Americans. We can't determine the color of our skin at birth. Let's make it a mute point and just be Americans. ALL of us.
MLK paved the way, raised the consciousness. Many blacks do not participate. Equality of opportunity is there, but the education, the work, has to be earned and done by the person; it cannot be bestowed upon the person.
Those blacks who have not progressed towards equality have not applied themselves.
I remember many bad things from the 50s and all the way through the 80s that would suggests that we had come to a standstill, but I would have had to been asleep for 40 years, not to realize all the things that have changed that is positive for not only African Americans, but all Americans. Martin Luther King would be proud of the gains African Americans, Hispanics American and other minorities have made over the last 4 decades. There is a lot more to be done yet, as far as, minority owned businesses, home ownership, the percent of young African Americans men in our prisons, black on black crime and racism in general.
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Excerpted text from Dr. King’s "I Have Dream Speech" given August 28, 1963.
Dr. King: But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.
Carrie Harris: Talk about being guilty of wrongful deeds – Black women make up roughly 12% of the population, but account for 35% of all abortions.
DK: We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
CH: As applied to family strength and togetherness, the struggle is no longer on a high plane of dignity and discipline. Too many of us seem to have lost our identity. Statistics indicate that there is much violent self-hatred. There is genocide on all fronts. Black on black crime is rampant and the womb that used to be the safest place on earth is now the main battleground.
DK: We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity…
CH: On average, over 1300 black babies are aborted everyday – that’s equivalent to 1 out of 3 aborted children is black.
DK: I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
CH: Your children made it, but the odds are many black children won’t even get the chance to develop their character.
DK: This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with…. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
CH: This is my hope. It is time for us to work together, pray together and struggle together, knowing that we said or did something to counter this ugly stain upon us – this wrongful deed of sacrificing so many fetuses everyday. The last census indicates that the Black race is declining. Should we continue on this trajectory - this abominable abortion rate will do what slavery, Jim Crow and the like could never do, and that is openly allow the soul of race to violently self-destruct on the table of an abortion clinic.
Why is the color of my skin so important? I am a young African American girl. Although I wasn't born when racial tension was at it's peak, I still know how it feels to be discriminated upon. So we have not came far enough. Dr. King is an inspiration to this nation, blacks, whites, all colors. Its sad that racism is still very much alive today. Our country is being run by people who grew up during this period and still has these beliefs so where does it end? Well I do know where it starts and it starts with today's youth. We need to come together as one. That is what Dr. King died for. Do not judge a person by the color of their skin, but of the content of their character. Now why is that so hard? It's nothing but pure ignorance.
How Far W'eve Come is Subjective
How far we've come can only be answered subjectively. My truth is not your truth states Ram Das. Since I am only a small potato in the World House, I need to look inward. I do not really know the geometry of society. I am "part of" the embroidery. I am experiencing my life based on my thoughts...many which were handed down to me. I experience my environment differently than you. How can I judge?
I need to keep looking inside of me. Turning inward requires great strength. Taking the labels off of people: my brother, my sister, my mother, my father. My boss, my friend, my dog.
What about all the "neutral people," black, white or red, we encounter in our everyday lives? Do we really notice the person who cashes our check at the bank? How about the person standing in line behind us at the grocer?
Most of the time, we are too busy wrapped up in "The I, The Me and The My." We tend to look at people outside our little families as blocks of wood.
How have we done? We need to keep growing the seeds of wisdom. Turning inward, letting go of past and future, I act in the now. What I do in this very moment creates the next moment for me...for the world.