TODAY
TODAY IS
TODAY IS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY.
DAY.
DAY. A
DAY. A NATIONAL HOLIDAY DEDICATED TO
THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE CIVIL
RIGHTS LEADER.
RIGHTS LEADER. JERMAINE, WE DID MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. DAY BECOME AN ACTUAL
DATE OF REMEMBRANCE NATIONWIDE?
>> MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
BECAME A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE IN
1986.
1986.
1986. BUT, IT TOOK 18 YEARS FOR IT TO
BECOME THIS A DAY OF
REMEMBRANCE.
REMEMBRANCE. A REPRESENTATIVE TRIED TO GET
ENACTED IN 1968 ONLY FOUR DAYS
AFTER MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
DIED.
DIED.
DIED. THERE WAS A LOT OF RESISTANCE
AND THERE HAD TO BE PERSISTENCE
IN GETTING IT MAY. THIS
NATIONAL HOLIDAY WE KNOW TODAY.
6 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE DESIGNED
THEIR SIGNATURES TO MAKE IT A
HOLIDAY.
HOLIDAY.
HOLIDAY. WE HAD TO HAVE 500,000 PEOPLE
MARCH ON WASHINGTON TO MAKE IT
A NATIONAL HOLIDAY AND A STEVIE
WONDER SONG HAPPY BIRTHDAY WAS
CREATED TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE TO
MAKE IT A NATIONAL HOLIDAY THAT
WE CELEBRATE TODAY.
>> I NEVER KNEW THAT PART ABOUT
STEVIE WONDER.
STEVIE WONDER. LET'S TALK ABOUT MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. THIS IS THE DAY WHERE
IT IS A DAY OFF FOR MANY
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS THAT
TYPICALLY DO EVENTS OR
COMMUNITY SERVICE OR THINGS AND
OF COURSE BECAUSE OF COVID
THERE ARE SOME THAT HAVE
SWITCHED TO VIRTUAL AND SOME
HAVE DECIDED IT IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT WILL BE ABLE TO
DO THIS YEAR.
TODAY IS A DAY TO KEEP
REMEMBER HIM AND REMEMBER WHAT
HE COMMITTED HIS LIFE TO.
WHO WAS HE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. MARTIN LUTHER KING MOSTLY IS
KNOWN BY HIS QUOTE WHERE HE
SAID, I HAVE DECIDED TO'S DIP
TO LOVE BECAUSE HATE IS TOO
GREAT OF A BURDEN TO BEAR.
THAT EMBODIES WHO HE WAS.
HE WANTED TO BE REMEMBER, NOT
AS HIS NOBLE PRIZE WINNER BUT
HE WANTED TO BE REMEMBERED AS A
DRUM MAJOR FOR JUSTICE.
THAT IS WHAT HE WANTED TO BE
REMEMBERED AS.
REMEMBERED AS. MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS OF
COURSE THE CIVIL RIGHTS
ACTIVIST.
ACTIVIST.
ACTIVIST. HE WAS SOMEONE WHO MARCHED ON
SELMA AND WASHINGTON WHERE HE
GAVE HIS I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH.
HE IS SOMEONE WHO DEDICATED HIS
LIFE TO LOVE, HE DEDICATED HIS
LIFE TO CIVIL RIGHTS FOR BLACK
AMERICANS AND SOMEONE WHO TRIED
TO PUSH THAT FORWARD IS THE
MOST VISIBLE PLACE OF THE CIVIL
RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN AMERICA.
>> WE LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING
IN TERMS OF RACE RIGHT NOW, AND
CALLS FOR JUSTICE.
WHERE DO YOU SEE MARTIN LUTHER
KING.
KING.
KING. WHERE WOULD HE BE?
>> I THINK MARTIN LUTHER KING,
HE WAS OUTSPOKEN AGAINST
RACISM.
RACISM.
RACISM. HE WAS OUTSPOKEN AGAINST
MILITARISM AS FAR AS THE
VIETNAM WAR.
VIETNAM WAR. AGAINST POVERTY.
AGAINST POVERTY. IN MY MIND, A MORAL TITAN.
HE WAS A SPIRITUAL GIANT.
HE WILL BE SPEAKING OUT AND
CONDEMNATION AGAINST THE
INJUSTICES THAT ARE GOING ON
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. >> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
MISPERCEPTIONS THAT WE MIGHT
HAVE ABOUT MARTIN LUTHER KING?
>> I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE
OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MARTIN
LUTHER KING JR. ONE IS THAT
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WAS
LOVED IN HIS OWN COMPANY -- A
GALLUP POLL IN 1966 SHOWS ONLY
63% OF AMERICANS FOUND MARTIN
LUTHER KING JR. FAVORABLE
BECAUSE HE WAS PUSHING UP
AGAINST THE STATUS QUO. HE WAS
PUSHING AGAINST THE VIETNAM WAR
WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE IN
SUPPORT OF DURING THAT TIME.
HE WAS TRYING TO SAY, WE WILL
EQUAL HOUSING.
EQUAL HOUSING. WE WON'T EQUAL JOB
OPPORTUNITIES AS JOB AS BLACK
PEOPLE IN AMERICA.
PEOPLE WERE NOT ON BOARD WITH
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. NOW
THAT. NOW WE HAVE 90% OF PEOPLE WHO
CHERISH HIS LEGACY AND WANT TO
PUSH THAT FORWARD.
BY THEN, HE WAS NOT LOVED AND
ANOTHER MYTH I THINK IS THAT
MARTIN LUTHER KING DID IT
ALONE.
ALONE.
ALONE. HE
ALONE. HE HAD A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO
ORGANIZED AND MOBILIZED TO BY
THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE WITH HIM.
WHO MARCHED ON SELMA INCLUDING
HIS WIFE, CORETTA.
YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE
WHO WERE THERE WITH HIM
FIGHTING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. THOSE ARE A COUPLE.
>> I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUST
SLIGHTLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY IN
TERMS OF WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
BECAUSE LIKE I SAID EARLIER, SO
MANY OF US THINK OF IT AS, I
MEAN IT IS.
WHIPS.
WHIPS.
WHIPS. THE BANKS ARE CLOSED OR, IT IS
A DAY OFF.
BUT WHAT CAN WE ACTUALLY DO TO
REALLY SERVE HIS LEGACY AND
LIKE I SAID ALSO, THERE OUR
SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT
PUT ON FANTASTIC EVENTS AND
THINGS, ESPECIALLY PRE-TRAN05
THAT COMMEMORATE.
THAT COMMEMORATE. ALWAYS, I WANTED TO FEEL LIKE I
WAS GIVING IT THE HEART OF HIS
LEGACY.
LEGACY.
LEGACY. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST.
ESPECIALLY WITH COVID IN THE
MIDST AND MANY OF US ARE AT
HOME WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST,
JERMAINE?
JERMAINE?
JERMAINE? HOW CAN WE RIGHT NOW REALLY
HONOR WHAT HE STOOD FOR.
>> I THINK WE HAVE TO LIVE HIS
WORDS.
WORDS.
WORDS. ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES OF
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WAS
WHERE HE SAID, LIFE'S MOST
PERSISTENT AND URGENT QUESTION
IS SIMPLY WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO
DO FOR OTHERS.
WE HAVE TO LIVE OUR LIFE IN
SERVICE TO OTHERS AND LOOK AT
HOW WEAK CAN SERVE OTHERS EVEN
THAT WERE GOING THROUGH THIS
PANDEMIC AND WE HAVE A LOT OF ú
PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING.
WHO ARE FACING INJUSTICE.
WHO ARE MARGINALIZED.
THINK THAT IS HOW WE CHERISH
THE LEGACY OF MARTIN LUTHER
KING TO TAKE IT FROM SOMETHING
THAT IS SYMBOLIC TO SOMETHING
THAT IS SUBSTANTIVE.
>> I HAVE TO TELL YOU ALSO.
IN 1986.
IN 1986.
IN 1986. I AM IN 6th GRADE.
AND I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN
IN HOLLY, MICHIGAN.
AND IT WAS NEW.
MY MOM SAVES EVERYTHING AND SHE
JUST RECENTLY SENT ME A PACKAGE.
MY FRIEND TIFFANY AND I HAD
APPROACHED OUR PRINCIPAL.
WE WERE IN 6th GRADE IN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND IT WAS K-
6. WE HAD DEVISED LESSONS FOR
EVERY SINGLE GRADE ACED UPON
AGE.
AGE.
AGE. IN
AGE. IN ORDER TO TEACH ABOUT MARTIN
LUTHER KING JR. AND MY MOM WAS
A SINGLE MOM AND WORK A FIVE
FULL-TIME JOB WITH FIVE KIDS
BUT SHE TOOK THE DAY OFF OF
WORK.
WORK.
WORK. TODAY WE PRESENTED.
TOLD US NO.
SHE WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO HELP
IMPLEMENT THIS IN OUR SCHOOL.
AND SO MY MOM, MY WHAT MOTHER
BECAUSE I'M ADOPTED.
MY WHITE MOTHER SAT IN HIS
OFFICE AND REFUSED TO LEAVE
UNTIL HE CAME OUT.
AND THEN, WHEN THE PRINCIPAL,
HE ENDED UP BEING A WONDERFUL
MAN.
MAN.
MAN. REST
MAN. REST IN PEACE.
WHEN HE FOUND OUT THAT THE
OTHER STUDENT, MY FRIEND I HAD
PARTNERED WITH WHO WAS WHITE,
TIFFANY WAS WHAT AND HER MOTHER
WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE PTA.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS A
DOOR THAT KIND OF OPENED AND I
REMEMBER THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT
OF PRIVILEGE THAT WAS INVOLVED
THAT I DON'T THINK AS A YOUNG
KID I UNDERSTOOD THAT.
EFFECT THAT MY MOTHER WAS THERE
IN THE FACT THAT TIFFANY'S MOM
HELPED THE IMPORTANT POSITION.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, OUR SCHOOL,
CROSSWORD PUZZLES THAT MY MOM
SPENT THAT WERE MIMEOGRAPH.
COPY MACHINES AND THINGS.
BECAUSE IT WAS SO IMPORTANT
THAT THE TWO OF US.
WHAT LITTLE WE LEARNED AND I
WENT BACK AND I READ SOME OF
WHAT WE WERE BEING TAUGHT BY
THE AND AND NOW.
HOW MUCH MORE WE ARE LEARNING
WHAT WE COULDN'T LEARN IN
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. WHAT YOU SEE TODAY WITH OUR
KIDS AND HOW HISTORY IS BEING
TAUGHT.
TAUGHT.
TAUGHT. THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SHIFT.
WHAT WE NEED TO BE ENCOURAGING
OUR SCHOOLS TO CONTINUE TO
TEACH OR TO START TEACHING AND
BRINGING IT ALL BACK TO MARTIN
LUTHER KING JR.?
>> I THINK THERE HAS TO BE A
PULLING BACK OF THE VEIL OF
HISTORY BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES
WE GET A SANITIZED VERSION OF
HISTORY WHERE WE ARE NOT
TELLING ABOUT THE PAINFUL PARTS
OF HISTORY AND I THINK THE ONLY
WAY WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THE
PAINFUL PARTS OF HISTORY IS NOT
TO HAD FROM THEM, BUT TO TALK
ABOUT THEM.
ABOUT THEM. AND NOT IN A FINGER-POINTING
KIND OF WEIGHT BUT LOOKING AT
PEOPLE'S ACTIONS AND THE
CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACTIONS AND
HOW THAT GOT US TO WHERE WE ARE
TODAY AND WE CAN BETTER MOVE
FORWARD.
FORWARD.
FORWARD. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SO MUCH
SUGARCOAT THE HISTORY FOR
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN. LET'S TALK ABOUT NOT ONLY
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., BUT
WHAT HE WAS FIGHTING AGAINST
WHICH WAS RACISM IN AMERICA.
AND HOW WE CAN PUSH THAT FIGHT
FOR TODAY.
FOR TODAY. >> JERMAINE, I ASK YOU TO JOIN
US ON RIGHT AND LEFT A DATE
BECAUSE OF THE HUMANITY ARCHIVE
AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR
FOLKS WHO DIDN'T SEE YOU WHEN
YOU WERE IN STUDIO WITH US
AGAIN, PRE-TRAN05.
AGAIN, PRE-TRAN05. EXPLAIN BRIEFLY WHAT THAT IS
AND HOW PEOPLE CAN DELVE INTO
YOUR ONLINE ARCHIVES.
IT IS FASCINATING.
AND YOU HAVE GOTTEN SOME
NATIONAL ATTENTION.
NATIONAL ATTENTION. >> I WAS FEATURED IN VANITY
FAIR LAST YEAR.
FOR THE PODCAST THAT I DO.
THE HUMANITY ARCHIVE PODCASTS
WERE UNTIL THE UNTOLD STORIES
OF HISTORY.
OF HISTORY. A LOT OF THE STORIES YOU MIGHT
NOT LEARN ABOUT IN SCHOOL LIKE
IDA B WELLS TO A LOT OF BLACK
HISTORY.
HISTORY.
HISTORY. ALL HISTORY OF PEOPLE, ORDINARY
PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE
EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.
EXTRAORDINARY THINGS. MY WHOLE WEBSITE IS DEDICATED
TO THAT.
TO THAT.
TO THAT. TRYING TO OPEN PEOPLES EYES TO
THE STORIES, TO THESE
NARRATIVES THAT YOU MIGHT NOT
HAVE HEARD AND THEN USE THEM TO
TRY TO ENRICH OURSELVES AND OUR
OWN LIVES TODAY.
YOU CAN FIND AT THE HUMANITY
ARCHIVE.COM AND AGAIN THE
PODCAST