The Perpetuation of a Dream

The inner fire of his spiritual passion spread fervently to a people who were afraid to stand up and claim the dream that “all men are created equal”. His earnest need for justice and honesty was evident in every word he spoke. His empathy was felt in every breath he took as rest between the rhetorical alliteration of his “I have a dream” speech. His hunger for knowledge became a light in the darkness, and with his words, he set his people free. His fearless nature birthed action that became a catalyst for great national change. The purpose of his work reverberates on a global scale and still his words echo across every threshold of American culture.

Born to a revered Baptist minister father, Martin Luther King, Jr. came into the world, silent. The doctor actually feared the child still-born due to the fact that after several spankings, he still would not cry.      His birth on January 15^th, 1929 marked the beginning of a journey filled with fervor. It marked the beginning of a life dedicated to peace and permeated by spiritual fire.

We travel back to Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta Georgia, and find M.L. (as he was called as a child) to be five years old. It was the spring of 1934, and a revivalist from Virginia was visiting the church. M.L.’s sister went up to be saved, and he followed suit out of a gentle but competitive need to match his sister. M.L. was known for his fine memory. Already at the age of five, he was usually found to be surrounded by books. He often sang in his father’s church accompanied by his mother on the organ. He was known to rock and become quite emotional while he passionately sang the hymns with true blues spirit.

His father ran his household as the patriarchs of ancient times. He was a loving father but a strict disciplinarian. He was frugal with the money and actively worked as a Pastor and a Banker to ensure that his children would not suffer the lack of necessities he had as a child.

M.L. was known to be quite sensitive and would not make any sound while being disciplined. Tears may be seen streaming down his face but he would not let out any noise as he was being punished. His grandmother, which he called Mama, had a very strong connection with M.L. and could not handle this. She was often known to run out of the room and sob uncontrollably in M.L.’s stead. He was once running and accidentally knocked Mama down the stairs. When she laid there silent, he feared she was dead and ran up to the second floor and lunged out one of the windows. He refused to move until someone relayed to him the message that Mama was okay, at which point, he ran away unharmed.

He was exposed to his first racial issue as a very young child. His first childhood best friend was white, and as they grew old enough to attend school, they were segregated into separate school systems. The parents of the white young boy no longer allowed M.L. to play with their son.

From this foundation grew one of the world’s greatest oracles, and man with a profound understanding of language, rhetoric, and our need for peace. He allowed no room for toleration of injustices. He believed in harmony and actively pursued it. He resonated that all men deserve to be free. Using the story of Exodus as his springboard many words poetically flowed from his lips, and he inspired many to believe that one person can make a difference.

In 1862, Abraham Lincoln stated, “In times like the present, men should utter nothing for which they would not willingly be responsible through time and eternity.” (From Let the trumpet sound- Oates, 1982). Men like Martin Luther King, owned every word he ever uttered. He had a fierce and driving passion that led him to speak words from his chest that all people who heard could not refuse to feel.

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Even a superficial look at history reveals that no social advance rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” From Historical collector’s edition, p. 4 (Gilbert, 2012).

The dream is still alive. It lives and breathes within every chest dedicated to righteousness; dedicated to peace. “…you can’t reach good ends through evil means, because the means represent the seed and the end represents the tree.” Martin Luther King. From the Historical collector’s edition, p. 18 (Gilbert, 2012).

“We need more than ever to take heed of Dr. King’s teachings. He calls on us to stand in other people’s shoes, to see through their eyes, to understand their pain.” President Obama. From the Historical collector’s edition, p. 24 (Gilbert, 2012).

History has documented much pain, much  progress. “For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed” I Corinthians 15:52. May the dream live on.