I was only 10-years-old the day a single bullet was permanently lodged into the psyche of the United States of America. With a Nobel Peace Prize and the admiration of millions under his belt, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was already the nation’s undisputed champion of freedom. But, on April 4, 1968, Dr. King became a martyr for a global movement that continues to strengthen over time.
Forty years have passed since our great "drum major for justice" was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis. But his drum beat continues to call us to the march of freedom, not only in the United States, but all over the world. Dr. King’s legacy of non-violent resistance has played a part in the end of apartheid in South Africa, the fall of the Berlin Wall, as well as the continuing fight for equal opportunity here in America.
For African-Americans, Dr. King’s life and legacy have special significance. He symbolizes that moment in time when America was compelled to come to terms with the hypocrisy of a constitution that proclaimed all men as equal, except us. His relentless demand for civil rights and universal human rights put the face of dignity on an Alabama woman just trying to take a bus ride home after a hard day’s work. It put the heart of humanity into the struggles of sanitation workers in Memphis. It gave moral authority to leaders in Washington who knew the time for change had come.
Four decades later, my own three children are growing up in a much different world thanks to the movement Dr. King led. The number of African-American college graduates and political leaders has grown significantly. The Black middle class is now a major force in America. And, we are in the midst of a historic presidential campaign in which, for the first time, an African-American leading contender for the White House. But, if Dr. King were still alive today, he would not be silent in the face of the prevalent and tragic disparities in jobs, homeownership, entrepreneurship and the well being of our children that continue to impede African-American progress. And neither should we.
For 98 years, the National Urban League has stood with those who have fought for equal opportunity. Our own Whitney M. Young was one of the "Big Six" civil rights leaders, along with Dr. King, who organized the 1963 March on Washington. And we are very proud to be a part of keeping the dream alive today.
One way we continue to uplift the African-American community is through our Opportunity Compact, a comprehensive set of principles and policy recommendations designed to expand economic opportunity and bridge the gap between the promise and the reality of the great American Dream.
Underlying all that we hope to accomplish is Dr. King’s refusal to believe that there are "insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation."
Forty years later, let us honor his memory by refusing to give up on his dream.
