We need a thread for this:
On the morning of the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial dedication, a longtime Georgia congressman and the last surviving speaker from the March on Washington said King was not only a instrumental figure in American culture—but in him, as well.
“I saw segregation. I saw racial discrimination. I tasted the bitter fruits of racism,” Rep. John Lewis said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And he made me a different person. And today I can say I don’t have any bitter feelings or have any anger or hatred (toward) human beings.”
The monument’s dedication was originally set to coincide with the anniversary of King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” in August but was postponed due to Hurricane Irene.
Lewis, the youngest speaker at the famous 1963 rally on the National Mall, was a leading figure in the civil rights movement and chaired the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee.
“It is unbelievable that 48 years after the march, that we’re going to dedicate – that we’re going to unveil this unbelievable monument to a man who was never elected to a public office, a man of peace and of love, a man of non-violence,” Lewis told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.
I can’t wait to go check out the monument. It looks very nice on television. We’ve all come a long way, baby. Maybe it’s because we share a name, but MLK Jr. was one of my first heroes, and nothing has changed. John Lewis has just as big of a place in my heart. He deserves his own place when the time comes, hopefully a long time from now.
Speaking of Martin Luther King Jr, there was a lot of discussion about the fact that Steve Jobs and civil rights leader Rev Fred Shuttlesworth died the same day, but Jobs was the garnering the most attention. Rev Shuttlesworth was considered by many to be King’s right hand man.
In our local paper today there was a nice article about Shuttlesworth and his role with MLK, and how he suffered many physical abuses, from whippings and beatings to the bombing of his parsonage with his children inside. During President Obama’s inauguration, Shuttlesworth’s wife leaned over to her husband and said, “Is that what you endured all those butt-whippings for?” to which he replied, “Yes. Yes it was.”
There is a statue of the Rev Fred Shuttlesworth at the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham. I imagine that Martin Luther King Jr would approve. They are truly heroes of our time.
I’m really glad you mentioned this. Shuttlesworth was one of the greats too and his passing was shamefully, if somewhat understandably, overshadowed. I hope he gets some love today too.
Here’s the only clip I could find of Shuttlesworth speaking on Youtube, from Eyes on the Prize. He’s in the last 20 seconds or so after Dr. King:
Pointed out over at Feministing:
Yes, I heard about that. It’s unfortunate.
To not remember our heroes as they truly were, complicated human beings, does a disservice to them and ourselves. We can use more of that when remembering white liberal heroes too like FDR and his complicated relationship with the segregationist, racist and anti-semitic wings of the Democratic party, instead ignoring his failures or outright lying (“Go out and make me do it”) to make him look better in history’s rearview mirror. To honor Dr. King I wish papers like the NYT would republish its scathing editorials in ’68 before King’s assassination when he was the most hated man in America as not only atonement but as a history lesson to this microwave generation and to show how far we’ve come or haven’t, depending on your perspective.
I really liked that part of Obama’s speech today. Where he said let’s remember that prior to MLK’s assassination, he was being vilified in the national press.
Me too, but the most profound moment of the day was Bernice King reminding us of the improbable journey from leaving this Earth the most hated man in America to a monument on the mall. Unlike most of America that suffers from selective amnesia, she knows her father had to die to become the King we love and “remember” today. That’s why I honor him and all of our ancestors who gave us our voices by not going along with this sanitized history just to get along. Nope note me.
yep that’s right NMP
he was the most hated man in America, which makes his courage even more powerful to me
Do go see the monument.
My wife and I were in D.C. the first week of October and made a point to walk to it and visit. I was quited moved and felt the artist did a wonderful job. Take time to read his quotations on the wall and reflect on them.
It’s on my bucket list.
Booman,
I just wanna say thx for being one of the few “major” non-African American liberal blog I frequent to actually have a front page isolated post on the MLK Dedication and NOT just another article about the ridiculousness that is Herman Cain. There is time enough for more laughter at Herman Cain.
Here is Obama’s speech if anyone missed it:
President Barack Obama – MLK Memorial Dedication Speech
As an AA, I know which one these men I want my cousins, nephews, etc to emulate.
I second that! When I came here I was praying that Booman would not disapoint, and he didn’t. I think the uniform blackout of the Dedication across the non-Black liberal bloghesphere says a lot or should I say confirms what I already know.
All of you are welcome. I wish I could have done something special. But I was just burnt out after a tough week. I’m glad you chipped in to add your thoughts.
I have to also thank you, Boo-Man. the importance of this day, of this monument to us in the Black community can’t be overstated.
While I am glad that MLK got a memorial, I think the design is terrible. I wish something else would have been done.
In Atlanta today, several hundred folks from Occupy Atlanta held a silent vigil at the tomb of Dr. King to honor locally the dedication of the memorial in Washington.
good to hear that.
did you catch POTUS’ speech TarheelDem? It was a pretty good one. I hope more people see it, but the MLK Dedication doesn’t warrant as much attention in some quarters.
Too bad though. It was a burner…also, here is Areatha Franklin singing Precious Lord at the Dedication….The woman IS a national treasure!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl7mGE3S1KA&feature=player_embedded
I would argue that the monument that Dr. King would most appreciate are the diversity of people in the many Occupy Wall Street general assemblies this week. Working to overcome what many saw as differences in order to work to fix a common economic crisis. Facing the pepper spray and police horses to call a nation to its senses once again.
President Obama in hia speech captures the rhetoric of Dr. King’s movement and its import to American society. And reminds those who are just picking up that struggle once again about the consequences of relapsing into despair and cynicism.
Those two facts matter right now more than the question of who the Republicans will nominate for President or whether the very small jobs bill will eventually pass.
And Aretha preached it.
here is Areath Franklin singing Precious Lord at the Dedication….The woman IS a national treasure!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl7mGE3S1KA&feature=player_embedded
Thanks for posting this Booman. America needs more leaders like MLK who stand up for the oppressed.
I thought it was maybe the best speech of the President’s in a while, and considering 2011 has been his best year since the original campaign, that’s saying something. But I do wonder how different a commemoration would have been a year ago in 2010? Sunnier, more optimistic, perhaps? What a difference a year of political and economic stagnation will do. Obama’s much more publicly emphatic on notions of struggle and hard work and persistence and historical tradition lately.
The one tic he has that I don’t care for is his recent turn on calling things “hard.” “Peace is hard.” “Change is hard.”
It’s so sanctimonious and phony. He’s the President of the United States, not some street corner organizer. Nobody who hobnobs with the house of Saud gets to say “peace is hard” without getting an eyeroll. When the housing market stays flat on its back, it’s his Treasury department dogging it on mortgage refinancing and homeowner relief.
I always assumed with his Nobel acceptance speech that the President was consciously distancing himself from the type of moral leadership of an outsider like MLK, but I often wonder if he doesn’t plan to have it both ways sometimes?
Thanks Booman, for the post and the link. And thanks everyone for your comments. What an unexpectedly lovely way to start a Monday morning.
I talked Friday with a young friend who’s an Alpha Phi brother (as was Dr. King) and I could hear the excitement and pride in his voice as he prepared to go to Washington for the dedication. It’s moments like that that keep me moving on.