Follow Dr King’s path of non-violence
Published:Tuesday | January 16, 2024 | 12:06 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
As we reflected on the legacy of the late Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr on January 15, we celebrated, commemorated and honoured his life, legacy and impact he had globally. People will have unique opportunities to learn and unite in celebration of Dr King’s groundbreaking work and Mrs Coretta Scott King’s powerful continuation and formal institutionalisation of that work through a variety of engaging events.
While attending the College of Arts, Science and Technology (now the University of Technology, Jamaica), I had a chance meeting with Andrew Young, American politician, diplomat and activist. Young was named executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. As a colleague and friend of Martin Luther King Jr, he was a strategist and negotiator during the civil rights campaigns in Birmingham (1963), St Augustine (1964), Selma (1965), and Atlanta (1966). He was the first African American elected to Congress from Georgia since Reconstruction. During this chance meeting, he shared the power and influence that Jamaica and its people had on Dr King, himself and others who were the driving force of the Civil Rights movement.
Young told me of the many trips that were made to the island by Dr King to be inspired, and that it was the place where he wrote some of his books, such as Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?, drafted political papers, and was able to reset his thoughts from the oppressive and violent environment.
Jamaica was the living model of the vision for what America should be for all people, including people of colour. The Jamaican people and its social structure were the model that had the greatest influence to the group of close confidantes of Rev King. People of colour were active in the running of the country, and its people held positions of influence in government and were at the core of commerce and professional development.
During this period of celebration, let us share the strategic theme for 2024: ‘Shifting the Cultural Climate through the Study and Practice of Kingian Non-violence’. This theme defines the 2024 King holiday observance events and programming, while serving as a compass for all the work we will do this upcoming calendar year and beyond.
The pioneering work of Dr Martin Luther King Jr demonstrated that ‘Kingian’ non-violence is the sustainable solution to injustice and violence in our country and the world, ultimately leading to the creation and revival of the our beloved community and country, where crime, violence and injustice cease and love prevails.
PATRICK BROWN
Pembroke Pines, Florida