Each year I try to think deeply about what it means to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Since the president has already removed MLK Day as a free holiday in national parks, I fear the removal of the MLK Day federal holiday may one day come to fruition. Sadly, much of Dr. King’s legacy has been reduced to his famous “I Have a Dream” speech from the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Dr. King was so much more than that one speech and he was so much more than a gifted orator, he was a brilliant theologian, a shrewd tactician, an interfaith and inter-class organizer, and someone who was able to articulate present day struggles while weaving in tangible and concrete hopes for the future.
Many argue that MLK Day is a “day on and not a day off” meaning we should honor Dr. King’s legacy by doing something that furthers the mission he bravely fought (and died) for. Whether it’s volunteering with a local organization or beautifying your community or donating your time, services, money, or goods to someone in greater need, these are the acts that exemplify the longstanding legacy of Dr. King.
Now more than ever his writing is essential. I would implore you to read more than just his famous speeches and his incredibly thought provoking “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Dr. King wrote several books on a range of moral and philosophical topics that urge us to think beyond our own circumstance and see ourselves as global citizens put here to uphold and fight for justice. There is a level of moral clarity that is lacking from many of our political leaders today, especially when it comes to international issues and policy issues that directly affect America’s most poor and vulnerable populations. It is our job to think about where we fit in Dr. King’s long legacy and how we plan to fight the different but very similar moral quandaries of the 21st century.
I also use Dr. King’s holiday to read the work of other great civil rights leaders who do not have their own holidays. The leadership of women like Septima Clark, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, and Coretta Scott King are just some of the women I will read about during this time. I will also learn more about the evolving intellect of Stockley Carmichael/Kwame Toure, Malcolm X, Eldridge Cleaver, and Jesse Jackson.
Whether you have Dr King’s birthday off for a holiday or you must find time to celebrate him on our own time, it is my sincere hope you dig deeper beyond the sanitized summary of this great American patriot and see how you can continue to build upon his foundation.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.