It is not unusual for people who are members of minority populations to be "saddled" with that label over and above whatever else great they may do. A woman who is a renowned aviatrix gets referred to as Amelia, the female..., or an Asian sociologist/author gets referred to as Ron, the Japanese..., a blind Latino singer gets referred to as Jose, the...You get the picture.
So it is true with Martin Luther King Jr. who is seen as the "black" civil rights leader. Many in our country do not want to have his birthday honored because he is only for black people. MLK fought, lived and gave his life for all people, especially the poor. He was also black.
Indiana University President Myles Brand and the Trustees of IU have decided to honor his birthday by suspending classes. What should/could we do to make this day have special meaning?
Many of those who worked for and with Martin are disappointed in the way his speeches have been reduced to sound bites. The fear is that current generations will misperceive, or not get the full meaning and impact of his speeches. Maybe the reduction is part of why he gets seen as the "black" civil rights leader.
We could have sessions, conducted by facilitators, where his full speeches and writings are read and discussed. We could have panel discussions on the progress we have made regarding civil rights and on what steps need to be taken to realize King's dream of equality for "all."
We could purchase materials and have a section in the library featuring his writings and videos showing his marches and how the FBI had him under surveillance. Events and collections like these could bring learning and meaning to the honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a real way for our university.
Editor's note: For more about the life of Martin Luther King Jr., we suggest you check out the Web site of Stanford University's Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project, featuring biography, articles and reference sources from the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Atlanta and other sources. The site is updated continuously and recent additions are King's letter from the Birmingham (Ala.) Jail and his Nobel Prize acceptance speech.
Related Link:
http://www-leland.stanford.edu/group/King/
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