Today we remember with sorrow the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was shot on the balcony connected to room 306 in the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was in Memphis to support African American sanitation workers, who were striking for higher wages, better working conditions, and union recognition.
The night before he was shot, King gave a beautiful, moving speech (https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkivebeentothemountaintop.htm). Often referred to as his “mountain top speech,” his words invoke both the limits of one human’s ability to affect change and the power of God to transform the pain of present circumstances. As many have pointed out, it was almost as if he knew his life would end soon—the speech is both a goodbye and a commission.
The Lorraine Motel is now the center of the National Civil Rights Museum. If you have not been there, please take any opportunity you can to visit. It is a “thin place;” even after 57 years the energy of resistance and hope in that place is palpable. And outside of the hotel, there is a memorial stone with these words from Genesis: “They said to one another, ‘behold, here cometh the dreamer…let us slay him…and we shall see what will become of his dreams.”
The dreamer in that passage from Scripture is Joseph. Eventually, even though what he dreamt was distressing to his brothers, all Joseph’s dreams were realized. As we remember the powerful work of Martin Luther King, Jr. and all the courageous people who put their lives on the line during the Civil Rights movement in this country, let us celebrate the victories born of their labor—and let us consider where dreams of justice remain deferred.
p.s. MLK’s last words were to musician Ben Branch, who was scheduled to perform at an event that evening: “Ben, make sure you play ‘Take My Hand, Precious Lord’ at the meeting tonight. Play it real pretty.” This was one of King’s favorite songs, and you can listen to Mahalia Jackson’s version here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as1rsZenwNc).
p.p.s. And for a more recent commemorative offering, you can listen to U2’s powerful anthem Pride (In the Name of Love) sung by the Soweto Gospel Choir here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yr7DGQZkWY). Best played loud!
