What does Martin Luther King Jr. Day mean today?
Jan 21, 2019, 5:00 AM | Updated: 12:38 pm
(Wikimedia Photo)
(Wikimedia Photo)
PHOENIX — It’s been 51 years since Martin Luther King Jr., the American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights, was assassinated.
But since that fateful April 4, 1968 day in Memphis, America has continued to learn from King Jr.’s legacy.
Dr. Neal Lester, an Arizona State University English professor, said he believes the holiday should allow people to reflect not only on how far society has come but also to learn from the past.
“I hope the MLK holiday is a chance to reflect and a chance to challenge people,” Lester, who specializes in African American literature and cultural studies, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
“There is a lot of division and hatred today, but King’s holiday is a chance to reflect that there has always been division and there has always been hatred.”
Touching upon today’s political activists and how social injustices are being perceived, Lester said he believes if we understand what happened during the Civil Rights movement we can better understand things today.
“For example, when (NFL quarterback) Colin Kaepernick is kneeling, that kneeling in of itself is not violent,” he said. “(It is) rather a fundamental right for those that are resisting.”
Lester said the holiday is more than just doing a community project once a year and should serve as a reminder how King Jr. lived his life and encouraged others to combat hate with love.
“One has to move away from just being aware to doing something about it, if in fact they are committed to doing the work,” he said.
“There is something about awareness and action. And action involves taking risk and I don’t mean taking risk by doing something daring but rather to be humane… and decent.”
Lester says regardless of the day, everyone should be doing their best to better society, whether it is community service projects or just giving a homeless person a blanket.
“Judging people not by their skin color but by their content, why can’t we do that every day?”
