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

 

3 Things About Martin Luther King to Get U Through the Day

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

Image via Wikipedia

As we continue to celebrate MLK Weekend, Here’s a few more pieces to get u through the Day

below is a nice speech from King where he talks about the schizophrenic nature of the American Dream. It’s very powerful and gives you lots to think about… We flipped it with a classic beat from Dr Dre.. Enjoy

MLK Meets Dr Dre -The American Dream is Schizophrenic….

Next 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

Lastly 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

Returned to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner