Please, PLEASE, read this post from the Original Pensieve archives. I shared it this time last year, and if you’ve never read it (and since I didn’t give out my URL until sometime in March, and go "public" until sometime in May, you haven’t read it, at least not from my blog), you NEED to. So often, King is remembered singularly for his "I have a dream" speech, and while it is beautiful and inspiring and memorable, there is so much more to this man whose influence still lingers today. His letter from Birmingham Jail will break your heart if you’re willing to read it from start to finish. And you NEED to (have I mentioned that?).
I’m bereaved…it gives me total license to say whatever I want, to boss people around, to get away with figurative murder. I’m thinking I have about a week or so to throw the bereavement card, and so I’ll use it to my advantage. What can I say? It’s my twisted humor at work, and yes, I can see humor and the beauty of irreverence, even in the face of death and grief.
And personally, I think it’s a GIFT and I’m glad I have it, so there!
Go on and bereave, girl. I’ve got to go….read! That is one LONG letter he wrote. I think I’ll print it out and read it over a nice, hot cup of java.
I read it when I did your archives…. (remember all those old posts I commented on and made you gasp?)
it was long….. I suppose it isn’t any shorter now?
My only thought is: I am saddened that to most kids in America today, Dr. King is only a reason to have a day off from school.
Susan, that way you can savor the “letter”…:/.
Pamela…no…but man, when you get to the end, you realize this man was…incredible!
Karmyn :(, You’re RIGHT :/!
OK, chica, I’ll let it slide this time. 😀 I’m off to read!
Thanks for sharing this, I didn’t know that this letter existed.
I am so glad that our children didn’t have to live through segregation.
Over the weekend, John and I explained King’s importance, and why he had a holiday. In a mixture of joy and despair, our 5 yr old listened intently. It’s hard to see your child lose faith in the world because of our country’s tragic history, at such a young age. But she understood that if it hadn’t been for King and his movement, we probably wouldn’t have the rights we have now, being that I am 1/2 Mexican and she is a quarter. Having to explain to her that me and my daughters would be considered less human because of our heritage was a hard concept to explain, but she took it all in. :O) She came home yesterday wanting to celebrate Martin Luther King, and thats good enough for me.
Robin, it was so good of you to remember King, even while you’re greiving a loss closer to home. I need to study his life some more, as we did not cover King’s many contributions in school in Canada (where I grew up.) Thanks for the links. :~)
I hadn’t read that letter since college, and like you, I am always moved to my feet. I want to shout “AMEN”!!
I am SO looking forward to teaching my little daughter about Dr. King.
BTW, from birth she has had this wonderful fist-over-her-head stretch that is so “Power to the People”!! My best friend has said that only I would have a little white girl who thought she was a strong black woman!!
I don’t think I’ll tell her otherwise!
Mert & Emom, as I said, until a year ago, I didn’t know about this amazing letter–I had marginalized King to his “I have a dream” speech and that was about it. We have come so far…yet there is STILL so far to go. How will our kids know if we don’t flesh out the bits and pieces they learn at school? That’s part of MY job (to know myself!).
Stephanie….I have GOT to meet that babygirl of yours, we can fist-over-head together :). (That image made me SMILE!).