A Night In Memphis: King’s Death A Symbol Of Martyrdom Or Foolishness?
Posted by David Adams on April 6th, 2011
He had spent the early evening hours Ministering to a Congregation at a local Memphis Church, spoke about the “difficulties ahead” for the Civil Rights Movement, and the plight of City Sanitation Workers in which he had come to Tennessee to support. On this night, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King would unknowingly make an emphatic passionate speech which would be played countless times over and over again around the world for years to come. Just 6 hours after his last Speech, the Mahatma Gandhi Non Violent Idealist would be struck down by an Assassin’s Bullet, and the Champion of Peace was taken from the World forever more. The Killing of Dr. King would culminate a particularly Tumultuous and Violent decade in America that saw the murders of the Georgia Baptist Preacher, U.S. President John F. Kennedy, and African American Leader El Hajj Malik El Shabazz ( Minister Malcolm X). However, King’s death impacted our Nation the greatest, due to his persistence in advocating protest through non violent measures.
Many feared and embraced for an all out Racially sparked Civil War, and felt that White Americans would fall prey to Mobs of angry Negroes in retaliation for their Slain Martyred Brother. The Country did see sporadic acts of violence, riots, and destruction to Commercial Properties in small pockets of African American dominated Communities, but the predicted Race Wars never did come. Over the years many Theorist and Historians have applauded Dr King’s non violent stance, and credited these tactics as having ushered America out of the Dark Ages on Social Reform as far as People of Color are concerned. Though Social change in America saw the fall of Old Jim Crow, White Only signs, and the dissipation of the likes of Bull Conner style Politicians, many African Americans fail to comprehend that no Civil Rights Legislation during the Civil Rights Movement have ever been signed into Law. There has been countless Bills presented before our Nation’s Congress only resulting in Congressional Acts (i.e. Civil rights act of 1964). Perhaps I maybe out of my league here as it pertains to the actual letter of the Law, a more Legal Inclined person could shed better insight, but I am sure you get the picture. The Civil Rights Acts are clearly problematic as it is more readily vulnerable for repeal by our Congressional Legislative Body, because Acts of Congress are typically signed for a specified duration. What am I saying? One could never diminish the Gallantry of Noble Peace Prize Winner Dr. King. I am simply questioning Historians depiction of the extent that Dr. King’s work actually impacted Social Change for People of Color on it’s face (How was the Law Changed to actually implement these Federal Mandated Civil rights). Candidly speaking, this man voluntarily gave his very life for a better quality of life for “all of God’s Children”. I falter in understanding the Legal Team, Advisors, and Members of King’s Christian Leadership Alliance that aided the late Civil Rights Advocate in spearheading the current Civil Rights Bill, and allowing themselves to walk away from the bargaining table knowing that these Acts were simply a temporary posture by a Racist White Government. Moreover, King has also been elevated to the Super Natural. Manly though, by his Daughter Bernice King, who likened her Father’s work to that of an Apostle, and citing his infamous last speech as evidence of his Divine Connection when he undoubtedly predicted his own Death. King’s pronouncement “I may not get there with you” seems coincidence, I seriously doubt that, and renders further insight of how dedicated, fearless, and stringent he stood in the face of Death. Clearly an act of Martyrdom as it is believed that the ultimate test of Faith lies in the principle of the acceptance of Death for an ideology or practiced belief.
Rarely Published Video of Dr. Martin Luther King
Dr. King is probably mostly remembered by his March on Washington’s ” I have a Dream” speech, and there are those in the American Public who are eager to accept the current state of affairs related to our Social Structure, but one must ask themselves if King’s Dream was actually ever fully achieved. Civil Rights Act(s) seem to be a band aid and only a symbol of that Era. We could make a valid argument that People of Color in America are worst off in the Post Civil Rights Generation. America’s Prisons are sweltering with Black Men at an alarming rate, a ever growing Population of Black Women in U.S. Prisons, staggering unemployment, homelessness, and verifiably the most violent community in America as well as the greatest Murderers of other African American Peoples throughout the World. I personally love the work that Dr. King was able to achieve, however, I find it difficult to express a mutual perception of my own People. In my mind there is no doubt that Dr. King was in fact a Martyr, but a basic observation of how his People responded to those “difficult days ahead” in the years and decades after his death can only honestly and accurately be depicted as “complete foolishness”.
“If the Negro is to be free he must move down into the inner resources of his own Soul, and sign with a pen of ink of self assertive Manhood, his own Emancipation Proclamation” -Dr. Martin Luther King
The Peoples Champion
David B. Adams
He had spent the early evening hours Ministering to a Congregation at a local Memphis Church, spoke about the “difficulties ahead” for the Civil Rights Movement, and the plight of City Sanitation Workers in which he had come to Tennessee to support. On this night, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King would unknowingly make an emphatic passionate speech which would be played countless times over and over again around the world for years to come. Just 6 hours after his last Speech, the Mahatma Gandhi Non Violent Idealist would be struck down by an Assassin’s Bullet, and the Champion of Peace was taken from the World forever more. The Killing of Dr. King would culminate a particularly Tumultuous and Violent decade in America that saw the murders of the Georgia Baptist Preacher, U.S. President John F. Kennedy, and African American Leader El Hajj Malik El Shabazz ( Minister Malcolm X). However, King’s death impacted our Nation the greatest, due to his persistence in advocating protest through non violent measures.
Many feared and embraced for an all out Racially sparked Civil War, and felt that White Americans would fall prey to Mobs of angry Negroes in retaliation for their Slain Martyred Brother. The Country did see sporadic acts of violence, riots, and destruction to Commercial Properties in small pockets of African American dominated Communities, but the predicted Race Wars never did come. Over the years many Theorist and Historians have applauded Dr King’s non violent stance, and credited these tactics as having ushered America out of the Dark Ages on Social Reform as far as People of Color are concerned. Though Social change in America saw the fall of Old Jim Crow, White Only signs, and the dissipation of the likes of Bull Conner style Politicians, many African Americans fail to comprehend that no Civil Rights Legislation during the Civil Rights Movement have ever been signed into Law. There has been countless Bills presented before our Nation’s Congress only resulting in Congressional Acts (i.e. Civil rights act of 1964). Perhaps I maybe out of my league here as it pertains to the actual letter of the Law, a more Legal Inclined person could shed better insight, but I am sure you get the picture. The Civil Rights Acts are clearly problematic as it is more readily vulnerable for repeal by our Congressional Legislative Body, because Acts of Congress are typically signed for a specified duration. What am I saying? One could never diminish the Gallantry of Noble Peace Prize Winner Dr. King. I am simply questioning Historians depiction of the extent that Dr. King’s work actually impacted Social Change for People of Color on it’s face (How was the Law Changed to actually implement these Federal Mandated Civil rights). Candidly speaking, this man voluntarily gave his very life for a better quality of life for “all of God’s Children”. I falter in understanding the Legal Team, Advisors, and Members of King’s Christian Leadership Alliance that aided the late Civil Rights Advocate in spearheading the current Civil Rights Bill, and allowing themselves to walk away from the bargaining table knowing that these Acts were simply a temporary posture by a Racist White Government. Moreover, King has also been elevated to the Super Natural. Manly though, by his Daughter Bernice King, who likened her Father’s work to that of an Apostle, and citing his infamous last speech as evidence of his Divine Connection when he undoubtedly predicted his own Death. King’s pronouncement “I may not get there with you” seems coincidence, I seriously doubt that, and renders further insight of how dedicated, fearless, and stringent he stood in the face of Death. Clearly an act of Martyrdom as it is believed that the ultimate test of Faith lies in the principle of the acceptance of Death for an ideology or practiced belief.
Rarely Published Video of Dr. Martin Luther King
Dr. King is probably mostly remembered by his March on Washington’s ” I have a Dream” speech, and there are those in the American Public who are eager to accept the current state of affairs related to our Social Structure, but one must ask themselves if King’s Dream was actually ever fully achieved. Civil Rights Act(s) seem to be a band aid and only a symbol of that Era. We could make a valid argument that People of Color in America are worst off in the Post Civil Rights Generation. America’s Prisons are sweltering with Black Men at an alarming rate, a ever growing Population of Black Women in U.S. Prisons, staggering unemployment, homelessness, and verifiably the most violent community in America as well as the greatest Murderers of other African American Peoples throughout the World. I personally love the work that Dr. King was able to achieve, however, I find it difficult to express a mutual perception of my own People. In my mind there is no doubt that Dr. King was in fact a Martyr, but a basic observation of how his People responded to those “difficult days ahead” in the years and decades after his death can only honestly and accurately be depicted as “complete foolishness”.
“If the Negro is to be free he must move down into the inner resources of his own Soul, and sign with a pen of ink of self assertive Manhood, his own Emancipation Proclamation” -Dr. Martin Luther King
The Peoples Champion
David B. Adams
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