Feature

An Extraordinary Life
Why Martin Luther King Jr. Should Always be Remembered by the World

Sabhanaz Rashid Diya

DESPITE Martin Luther King Jr. now being dead for longer than he lived, his influence on modern world politics, struggles for human rights worldwide, and the shape of civil movements is more definitive and far-reaching than one could have imagined in his lifetime. Any number of historic moments in the civil rights manifestation has been used to identify with Martin Luther King Jr., the prime figure in the Montgomery Bus Trial, keynote speaker at the March on Washington and the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize till date. In retrospect, single events are less important than the fact that King was the icon of equality and freedom, of struggle and nonviolence, and a revolutionist who changed the face of America forever.

Born as Michael Luther King, Martin was rechristened in honour of the German Protestant leader Martin Luther King at the age of six. Later in life, he was heavily influenced by Howard Thurman while doing his doctorial studies at Boston University. Thurman was a Theologian, civil rights Activist and Educator whose missionary work had led him to confer with Mahatma Gandhi. Inspired by Gandhi's success, King visited India in 1959 and was affected profoundly by the nonviolent resistance practiced by Gandhi, the principles of which he began to incorporate into his own struggle against segregation upon returning home.

At the age of twenty-five, he became the pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Here onwards, he began to make his mark as a civil rights Activist by mobilizing black communities, initially during a 382-day boycott of the city's bus lines. Over time (by defying arrest and several violent attacks), King established himself as the spokesperson for the black community and a figure of growing importance in the civil rights movement. Upon inception of the Southern Leadership Christian Conference in 1957, he began helping other communities to organize protests against discrimination.

King continued to exhort strongly towards nonviolent protest against segregation until his assassination in 1968. He delivered one of the greatest and most passionate speeches in the history of the world at the historic March on Washington, and his words have been monumental wherever issues of civil rights, equality and discrimination are addressed. He actively rallied against the Vietnam War and envisioned demonstrations to highlight the plight of the poor. On several occasions, his nonviolent efforts degenerated into violence, largely due, however, to the outbreak of brutality against his protestors.

Martin Luther King Jr. to date has been accounted as one of the greatest visionaries and activists in America and the wider world. His dream of a society free of discrimination, segregation and violation of human rights remains a vision; one cannot help but wonder as to how far his ideals have come to be adopted in 21st century policy.

True, King's idea of a place where kids regardless of race can go to the same school has been realized, and further recognized through the Presidency of Barack Obama. As Jack E. White writes in TIME 100 (1988), “It is a testament to the greatness of Martin Luther King Jr. that nearly every major city in the U.S. has a street or school named after him. It is a measure of how sorely his achievements are misunderstood that most of them are located in black neighborhoods.”

The Modern America takes great pride in envisioning itself as a mixed culture, where people from different origins from 'round the globe can come together to live in harmony. The 'American Dream' is the land of infinite possibilities where a Jew and Christian resides as peaceful neighbours, shares lunch with a Muslim and sips coffee with Hindus and Buddhists at work. In spite of outreaching international media with such an image, America's reputation in the more populated developing nations remains far from the epitome of tolerance. The 'War against Terrorism' more often have results and after effects far to the contrary.

“In recent years, however, King's most quoted line"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"has been put to use he would never have endorsed.” (Jack E. White, TIME 100: 1998)

America today must unlearn and relearn many things if it were ever to truly recognize King's radicalism. It must chart a fresh course to realize the vision of a time where all communities are respected, given their due rights and protected from harassment or underestimation, to capture the dream of a true visionary. And such a course must never forget the words of a man who gave his life in the struggle for a tomorrow better than today.

References:
TIME 100 (1998)
The Seattle Time: MLK and the Civil Rights Movement
Wikipedia

(The writer is a sophomore at the Department)