jr.
-
Tennis Great Arthur Ashe Honored With Street Naming Ceremony in Virginia
In 1968, a year fraught with violent civil rights protests and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., tennis legend Arthur Ashe became the first black male athlete to win the U.S. Open. But beyond his groundbreaking accomplishments on the tennis court, Ashe’s tireless activism off of it is equally commendable. And to celebrate his…
-
On the Anniversary of MLK Jr.’s Assassination, We Should Heed King’s Economic Roadmap to Reparations
In a 1968 speech just prior to his death on April 4, Martin Luther King Jr. appeared to articulate the next phase of the fight for equality in America. It wasn’t focused on equal rights or the plight of African Americans in education in the wake of Brown v. Board of Education—it focused on black…
-
White Power Symbol Discovered After Fire Destroys Historic Civil Rights Center
Days after a mysterious fire destroyed decades of invaluable archives and artifacts at The Highlander Research and Education Center in Tennessee, a subsequent investigation has uncovered a white power symbol that could indicate the most likely motive behind the fire. “As most of you know, a devastating fire burned down our main office early Friday…
-
Kamala Harris Spreads the Gospel of Truth, Leadership and Optimism During Ebenezer Baptist Church, Morehouse Visits
This weekend, guess which Democratic presidential candidate became one of the first to throw a major public campaign event in metro Atlanta? If you guessed U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (headlines can be misleading), you’d be correct—as the former attorney who could one day run our country brought her infectious energy to both Ebenezer Baptist Church…
-
Dr. Bernice King Shuts Down Fox News Claims That America Deserves 'Credit' for Ending Slavery
While our very own Michael Harriot took the time to express his gratitude to white America for being so kind as to end the barbaric institution known as slavery, Rev. Dr. Bernice King—CEO of Atlanta’s King Center for Nonviolent Social Change—opted for a different route. I’ll allow Michael to explain: On Tuesday, political commentator etiquette…
-
In Black Memphis, Beale Street Can Talk
Beale Street can talk. She’s country, loud and a bit ghetto. She’s bold like the blackness she exudes throughout the city. She has a thick tongue and a sour drawl. She uses Lisa Akbari’s shampoo and the black tube of Ampro gel to slick down her edges. She refuses to wear a slip when she…
-
On DC’s MLK Avenue, Where Over-Policing Reigns, King’s Dream Is Far From a Reality for Residents
When remembering Martin Luther King Jr., society often removes some of his most radical politics from discussion. King is perhaps most remembered in Washington, D.C., for delivering his notable “I Have A Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of over 250,000 in 1963. But what’s often glossed over is…
-
In His Own Words: Martin Luther King Jr. on White Privilege, Police Brutality, Reparations and More
I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a…
-
Quiz: How Much Do You Really Know About Martin Luther King Jr?
The Root is black as the rest of y’all. We can collectively name all the members of Dipset; at least half of us have a can of used grease on our stoves right now. We still hide money in a Crown Royal bag, and will judge you for eating macaroni and cheese that we wouldn’t…