What does it look like to celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 2021?
What does it look like to celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in 2021?
The same day a Black man and a Jewish man were voted into the U.S. Senate in Georgia, a Trump-supporting mob bearing Confederate and Nazi flags attacked the U.S. Capitol. The stark contrast between these two events shows us both how far we have come as a nation and how far we still have to go to achieve racial equity. As much work as we still have in front of us, it should serve as a sign of encouragement and perspective that less than a century — 1865 to 1961 — separates the birth of the last person born into slavery from the birth of the first Black U.S. president.
A True Indication
The terror and tragedy of the Capitol Riots on January 6th are also a revealing part of where we are in the journey towards justice, but it should not be seen as a daunting setback. Racial progress is not continuous forward movement, but full of highs and lows, triumphs and tribulation — and the events of January 6th are a true indication of what’s been embers have been smoldering beneath the surface of American history. Racial progress and racism both exist, are at battle with one another, and continue to evolve over time. Ibram X. Kendi suggests imagining “two historical forces at work: a dual and dueling history of racial progress and the simultaneous progression of racism.”
A Personal Connection
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a public prophet for many, but he was also a private hero. This story of my personal connection with him can help point the way forward for us.
I remembered the story my father often shares about being assigned to protect Dr. Martin Luther King when he came to Evanston in 1963, and I think the advice he received is relevant for our situation today as well. My father discussed with Dr. King his concerns about discrimination in Evanston: there were only about 5–6 African American officers on the force at the time — no other people of color; nothing but White men. He shared his frustration that no African American police officers were being promoted, and that he wanted to quit! “I remember very distinctly; he asked me what education did I have? And I told him I had less than one year of college,” my father would say. “Then Dr. King told me, ‘Bill, you need to stay the course, hold on to your faith and hold on to your faith in yourself. You can be anything in life you want to be but you must be prepared. No one is going to just give you anything — it has to be earned! And your education will be the key to your future!”
My father recalls how seriously he took Dr. King’s comments and the difference it made in his life. He ended up taking police related courses at five universities. He also attended and graduated from the FBI national Academy in 1970. After that he went back to college in the evenings and on weekends — while having a wife and three children — for three years, earning his bachelor’s degree in public administration from Northeastern Illinois University.
Must Be Prepared
As a result of Dr. King’s influence, my father was promoted to Sgt. (1965). He went on to become the first African American Lieutenant (1967), African American Captain (1969), and African American Deputy Chief (1982) in Evanston. In 1984, when there was an opening for the chief’s position, the city of Evanston said the chief of police must have a college degree. “And I was prepared,” my father proudly proclaims. He became Evanston’s first African American chief of police and one of the first in the state of Illinois.
Growing up hearing this story, I made “being prepared for what I might face” central to my endeavors. Uncertain of what my future would hold, I decided to travel the world in search of my humanity and my identity as a man, an American, and an African American man. Committing to the challenges of higher education earned me degrees and all the opportunities that come with them. All of this was in effort of preparing myself for an uncertain future. And today, the work I do with Dr. Logan Speaks equips me and my clients to be on the cutting edge of social justice, and socially responsible business and innovation in the 21st century.
Moving forward
All of us must be prepared, as Dr. King advised my father, for an uncertain future; we have seen this so poignantly with COVID, the racial pandemic unearthed last year, and the unrest on Capitol Hill. This means preparing mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially, and educationally for the unknown. Being aware, being in optimal health, building good relationships, grounding ourselves in morality and values, building wealth, and continuously learning are central to being prepared. Consider the specific types of education — formal and informal — that will build on the skills and knowledge you already have and help you become more prepared for what may come our way. Formal education can provide opportunity and resilience, but informal education like workshops, seminars, certificates, reading, online research, travel, engaging with a variety of people can all lead to personal and professional growth and development. Finally, keeping faith in ourselves and working hard to earn liberation go hand in hand with being prepared — and bringing it all together, we have the best chance of realizing Dr. King’s dream.
