The MTV generation would mostly likely be shocked to observe that it was only about forty years ago that blacks, even highly educated ones, were routinely denied the right to vote or participate on juries. It really wasn't that long ago that they weren't allowed to eat at lunch counters, register at motels or use "whites only" bathrooms, they couldn't attend certain schools, universities or churches, nor could they buy or rent homes wherever they chose. In striking contrast to the present landscape, it was only a little over a generation ago that blacks could not freely participate in professional sports or the mainstream entertainment industry and they most certainly could not hold positions within state and federal agencies. Some rural enclaves in the South compelled them to get off the sidewalk if a Caucasian walked by. Dr. King's nonviolent movement swept all those institutions aside and its victory was so complete that even though those outrages took place within the living memory of the "baby-boomer" generation, the events seem like ancient history.
It should come as no surprise that Dr. King is the second most admired person in the 20th century according to a Gallup poll and was voted 6th in the Person of the Century poll by TIME magazine. On the international scene, Reverend King is one of the ten 20th century martyrs from across the world that is depicted in statues above the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey, London. His legacy includes influences on the Black Consciousness Movement and Civil Rights Movements in South Africa. Dr King's work was citied by and served as an inspiration for another black Nobel Peace prize winner who fought for racial justice in that country, Albert Lutuli. Despite the fact that the mainstream media and the church have never come to terms with what Martin Luther King, Jr. stood for during his final years -- his dream, though unrealized, still endures.
Dr. King was indeed a Pastor, not only on a congregational level, but he ultimately became pastor of the entire nation as a whole. Inspired by the majesty of God and fueled by the power of Love, Dr. King dared to have a dream and gave his life to redeem America's soul. It is a testament to his greatness that nearly every major city in the U.S. has a street or school named after Dr. King. It is a measure of how sorely his achievements are misunderstood that most of them are located in black neighborhoods.
It should come as no surprise that Dr. King is the second most admired person in the 20th century according to a Gallup poll and was voted 6th in the Person of the Century poll by TIME magazine. On the international scene, Reverend King is one of the ten 20th century martyrs from across the world that is depicted in statues above the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey, London. His legacy includes influences on the Black Consciousness Movement and Civil Rights Movements in South Africa. Dr King's work was citied by and served as an inspiration for another black Nobel Peace prize winner who fought for racial justice in that country, Albert Lutuli. Despite the fact that the mainstream media and the church have never come to terms with what Martin Luther King, Jr. stood for during his final years -- his dream, though unrealized, still endures.
Dr. King was indeed a Pastor, not only on a congregational level, but he ultimately became pastor of the entire nation as a whole. Inspired by the majesty of God and fueled by the power of Love, Dr. King dared to have a dream and gave his life to redeem America's soul. It is a testament to his greatness that nearly every major city in the U.S. has a street or school named after Dr. King. It is a measure of how sorely his achievements are misunderstood that most of them are located in black neighborhoods.
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