Dr. Martin Luther King's 'The Other America'

Martin Luther King Jr. opened minds, hearts and doors in ways no one had ever done in this country. He made us understand the humanity of man. His legacy of non-violent protest to advocate for change is the norm in our country and has been used on all sides of the cultural and political spectrum. Many of Dr. King's speeches still read like prophecy in the areas of race, education, economics, and the continuation for balance in a capitalistic society.

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior; I thought it would be good to listen to one of Martin Luther King's speeches not as well publicized. Hearing his voice will reiterate the essence of his being and the ability to transcend the struggles of a people as a universal struggle for all. Listen below to a portion of Dr. King's speech, "The Other America." He addressed racial divide & problems, but also spoke to the concerns of many Americans. Draw your own conclusions on how prophetic his words still are.

MLK's "The Other America" Speech at Stanford University, 1967.

PDF of the speech via Stanford University Library

Conclusion

I am sure Dr. King would be proud of the advancements made in civil, equal, and human rights since 1968. However, I doubt he would be content with the ongoing narcissistic ways of man to mask personal agenda for power and greed at the expense of anything at all costs. It's up to us to continue to push past all obstacles and achieve. Realistically, it will always be a work in progress to have all people judged, as Dr. King said, "not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." If he were alive today, he would amend his quote to include other societal concerns to carry on the cause for all men and women to be equal in every phase of the American experience. From the ground, up; people recognizing the sameness of goals and desires to bridge the gap of differences. Taking each aspect of our lives to commonality and realizing everyone has the power to break down many of the barriers of ignorance; one step at a time and realizing progress doesn't come with an instant gratification app.