Today is Martin Luther King’s Birthday-He Was Fearless & Always Spoke Truth to Power

Bloody Sunday - Alabama police attack Selma-to...

Bloody Sunday – Alabama police attack Selma-to-Montgomery Marchers, 1965. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today is Martin Luther King Jr‘s actual birthday January 15th 1929. The official holiday is this Monday January 20th..Its also the same day President Obama is inaugurated. We wanted to offer up a few pieces to help you remember, inspire and get you through the day….

First up is a nice video that pays tribute to Bloody Sunday.. That was on March 7 1965 when Dr King and about 600 Civil Rights marchers attempted to walk from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. When they came to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were met with a line of police and bully clubs.. many of the marchers were badly beaten.. This song captures the moment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a115XUCoq_g

Next is a clip from a speech in King’s later years where he talks about Black empowerment and the vicious lies we were told about Black inferiority…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGtjAaJeUWY

Next is the speech that many speculate led to King being killed. It was the historic speech where he talks about why he opposed the War in Vietnam.. It was a compelling speech where he goes in on the US and her policy of military violence. He also talks about the intense poverty here in the country.

What many folks don’t like talking about is how shortly after the speech major newspapers from all over the country vilified King. They accused him of being unpatriotic. Not only did he lose support amongst the mainstream, he also lost a lot of popularity amongst other Blacks and Civil Rights leaders. Many felt that he stepped out of his lane and that by speaking on the war, it would mess up their funding. You don’t hear too many people apologizing years later for dissing King and abandoning him for speaking out against the war.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80Bsw0UG-U

Here’s part 1 of a cool in depth interview as he was just starting out in the Civil Rights Movement… The historic Montgomery Bus Boycott was under his belt.. Here on a show called the Open Mind, King talks about the ‘New Negro’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ll4QmvnGcU

You can peep pt 2 of this interview HERE

This was a piece I put together a couple of years ago to pay tribute to the Oscar Grant Movement… We were all waiting eagerly for the verdict to the trial around the police who killed him.. Was moved to juxtapose King’s last speech with all that had been going leading up to the jury’s decision..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMgccsq1IyM

 

Returned to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

 

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Comments

  1. Very well put together, thanks!

  2. Thank DaveyD

  3. Trisha Sha says

    I really thank you for doing your thing and love your work.

    Something you want but don’t have it or don’t know you have something, and why you do have it and what’s its about is no question. If its an open-ended question its effective, and true curiosity. Questioning show you who and what you see your self, without ever questioning. Allows you to come in question with what you have come in contact from a discursive mind.

    Trish

  4. Reblogged this on Streams Of Consciousness – Coco Rivers and commented:
    Happy birthday to MLK! Check out this post in honor of his birthday. This is a great blog, always informative pieces on myriad topics, focusing on hip hop, media and politics.

  5. Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat.Com™ and commented:
    Thank you Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner for remembering Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King in such a beautiful way.

  6. Possibly the greatest speaker of all time. I live my life by the words “A man will not be judged by the color of his skin but the context of his character”. MIND OVER MATTER.

  7. What a great man! Thank for this post!

  8. Thank you Davey D. Glad to see you on WordPress.

  9. Yes.. and some places dont give you off for MLK …

  10. Yes.. and some places dont give you off for MLK … haters (RED)

  11. Remember always and for sure, how critical the churches were in community building up to the referents lyrics and speeches. When I nowadays reflected the US-First Amendment, then I hope that such oppressed groups around 1968 and in postfascist Europe pre_1989 become widely more militant by using tactics we all well know: http://www.shac.net/

    Salaam Dr. Martin Luther King jr.

  12. My bad ”content of his character”… EQUINOX

  13. this dude is the man, green

  14. Happy Bday MLK! -seeme

  15. Happy B-Day MLK

  16. Thank For His Dream HBD Dr. King!!

  17. So thankful for his dream!!! -watchme

  18. I reblogged this on http://www.PatriciaAPatton.com. Clearly I am late to the party in discovering the work of Davy D; but this is one of my new favorite sites to follow. Good stuff.

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