Showing posts with label Martin Luther King Jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Martin Luther King Jr.. Show all posts

Monday, January 20, 2025

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Holiday Today Monday January 20 - Take A Moment To Remember And Reflect Upon His True Legacy

The third Monday in January is a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

that was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

Dr King was born on January 15, 1929 and assassinated April 4, 1968.

According to Politico:

... we remember MLK as the transcendent figure who helped lift the South out of Jim Crow. We also remember him as almost preternaturally calm in the face of great pressure and danger. He was indeed all of these things. But the passage of time has obscured his dimensionality. In the last years of his life, King expanded his vision beyond the former Confederacy and took on a broader struggle to dismantle America’s jigsaw edifice of racial and economic discrimination—a struggle that took him deep into northern states and cities, where onetime allies became bitter enemies. He did so even as he strained to keep a fractious civil rights movement unified, and in the face of unremitting sabotage from federal authorities.

He was a young man, still in his 30s—foisted onto the national stage with actors many years or decades his senior, suspect in the eyes of both younger and older civil rights leaders—and the burdens of leadership took their toll on him....

Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech, I've Been To The Mountain Top, on the night before his assassination....

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 8:02:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 15, 2024

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Holiday Today Monday January 15 Honoring "The Drum Major For Justice" -Take A Moment To Remember And Reflect Upon His True Legacy

The third Monday in January is a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  

that was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

 

Dr King was born on January 15, 1929 and assassinated April 4, 1968.

According to Politico:

... we remember MLK as the transcendent figure who helped lift the South out of Jim Crow. We also remember him as almost preternaturally calm in the face of great pressure and danger. He was indeed all of these things. But the passage of time has obscured his dimensionality. In the last years of his life, King expanded his vision beyond the former Confederacy and took on a broader struggle to dismantle America’s jigsaw edifice of racial and economic discrimination—a struggle that took him deep into northern states and cities, where onetime allies became bitter enemies. He did so even as he strained to keep a fractious civil rights movement unified, and in the face of unremitting sabotage from federal authorities.

He was a young man, still in his 30s—foisted onto the national stage with actors many years or decades his senior, suspect in the eyes of both younger and older civil rights leaders—and the burdens of leadership took their toll on him.... 
Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech, I've Been To The Mountain Top, on the night before his assassination.

 

Dr. King is remembered and honored for his civil rights leadership including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail". 

Mehdi Hasan adds:

You can learn more about Dr. King from the Ezra Klein Show podcast with Harvard Professor of Social Sciences Brandon Terry. 

Martin Luther King Jr was only 39 years old when he was killed.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 4:56:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 16, 2023

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Monday January 16, Take A Moment To Remember, Reflect And Honor His True Legacy - I've Been To The Mountaintop Speech, Letter From A Birmingham Jail, Poor People's Campaign

The third Monday in January is a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  that was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

Dr King was born on January 15, 1929 and assassinated April 4, 1968.

According to Politico:

... Almost 50 years after his death, we remember MLK as the transcendent figure who helped lift the South out of Jim Crow. We also remember him as almost preternaturally calm in the face of great pressure and danger. He was indeed all of these things. But the passage of time has obscured his dimensionality. In the last years of his life, King expanded his vision beyond the former Confederacy and took on a broader struggle to dismantle America’s jigsaw edifice of racial and economic discrimination—a struggle that took him deep into northern states and cities, where onetime allies became bitter enemies. He did so even as he strained to keep a fractious civil rights movement unified, and in the face of unremitting sabotage from federal authorities.

He was a young man, still in his 30s—foisted onto the national stage with actors many years or decades his senior, suspect in the eyes of both younger and older civil rights leaders—and the burdens of leadership took their toll on him.... 
Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech, I've Been To The Mountain Top, on the night before his assassination.

Dr. King is remembered and honored for his civil rights leadership including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".

Mehdi Hasan adds:

You can learn more about Dr. King from the Ezra Klein Show podcast with Harvard Professor of Social Sciences Brandon Terry.

Martin Luther King Jr was only 39 years old when he was killed.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 8:50:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 17, 2022

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Today, Take A Moment To Remember, Reflect And Honor His True Legacy

The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929

 

and assassinated April 4, 1968.

Dr. King is remembered and honored for many civil rights activities including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".

An excerpt:
... A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest....

The full text of Letter From A Birmingham Jail is here and a short excerpt of audio below.

Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech on the night before his asassination - I've Been To The Mountain Top.

Politcio has an excellent article on the last years of Dr. King's life.

... Almost 50 years after his death, we remember MLK as the transcendent figure who helped lift the South out of Jim Crow. We also remember him as almost preternaturally calm in the face of great pressure and danger. He was indeed all of these things. But the passage of time has obscured his dimensionality. In the last years of his life, King expanded his vision beyond the former Confederacy and took on a broader struggle to dismantle America’s jigsaw edifice of racial and economic discrimination—a struggle that took him deep into northern states and cities, where onetime allies became bitter enemies. He did so even as he strained to keep a fractious civil rights movement unified, and in the face of unremitting sabotage from federal authorities.

He was a young man, still in his 30s—foisted onto the national stage with actors many years or decades his senior, suspect in the eyes of both younger and older civil rights leaders—and the burdens of leadership took their toll on him....
Take a look at this ery interesting thread below - click through to read in it's entirety.

Take a moment today to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the good work he accomplished to make our country a better place.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 7:30:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 18, 2021

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Today, Take A Moment To Remember And Honor His Legacy

The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Dr. King is remembered and honored for many things including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".
An excerpt:
... A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest....
The full text of Letter From A Birmingham Jail is here and a short excerpt of audio below.



Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech on the night before his assasination - I've Been To The Mountain Top.



Politcio has an excellent article on the last years of Dr. King's life.
... Almost 50 years after his death, we remember MLK as the transcendent figure who helped lift the South out of Jim Crow. We also remember him as almost preternaturally calm in the face of great pressure and danger. He was indeed all of these things. But the passage of time has obscured his dimensionality. In the last years of his life, King expanded his vision beyond the former Confederacy and took on a broader struggle to dismantle America’s jigsaw edifice of racial and economic discrimination—a struggle that took him deep into northern states and cities, where onetime allies became bitter enemies. He did so even as he strained to keep a fractious civil rights movement unified, and in the face of unremitting sabotage from federal authorities.

He was a young man, still in his 30s—foisted onto the national stage with actors many years or decades his senior, suspect in the eyes of both younger and older civil rights leaders—and the burdens of leadership took their toll on him....
Take a moment today to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the good work he accomplished to make our country a better place.

More on Dr. King from History.com

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 5:36:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 20, 2020

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Today, Take A Moment To Remember And Honor His Legacy


The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Dr. King is remembered and honored for many things including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".

An excerpt:
... A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest....
The full text of Letter From A Birmingham Jail is here and a short excerpt of audio below.



Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech on the night before his assasination - I've Been To The Mountain Top.



Politcio has an excellent article on the last years of Dr. King's life.
... Almost 50 years after his death, we remember MLK as the transcendent figure who helped lift the South out of Jim Crow. We also remember him as almost preternaturally calm in the face of great pressure and danger. He was indeed all of these things. But the passage of time has obscured his dimensionality. In the last years of his life, King expanded his vision beyond the former Confederacy and took on a broader struggle to dismantle America’s jigsaw edifice of racial and economic discrimination—a struggle that took him deep into northern states and cities, where onetime allies became bitter enemies. He did so even as he strained to keep a fractious civil rights movement unified, and in the face of unremitting sabotage from federal authorities.

He was a young man, still in his 30s—foisted onto the national stage with actors many years or decades his senior, suspect in the eyes of both younger and older civil rights leaders—and the burdens of leadership took their toll on him....
Take a moment today to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the good work he accomplished to make our country a better place.

More on Dr. King from History.com

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 12:41:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 21, 2019

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Today, Take A Moment To Remember And Honor His Legacy


The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Dr. King is remembered and honored for many things including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".

An excerpt:
... A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest....
The full text of Letter From A Birmingham Jail is here and a short excerpt of audio below.



Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech - I've Been To The Mountain Top.



Politcio has an excellent article on the last years of Dr. King's life.
... Almost 50 years after his death, we remember MLK as the transcendent figure who helped lift the South out of Jim Crow. We also remember him as almost preternaturally calm in the face of great pressure and danger. He was indeed all of these things. But the passage of time has obscured his dimensionality. In the last years of his life, King expanded his vision beyond the former Confederacy and took on a broader struggle to dismantle America’s jigsaw edifice of racial and economic discrimination—a struggle that took him deep into northern states and cities, where onetime allies became bitter enemies. He did so even as he strained to keep a fractious civil rights movement unified, and in the face of unremitting sabotage from federal authorities.

He was a young man, still in his 30s—foisted onto the national stage with actors many years or decades his senior, suspect in the eyes of both younger and older civil rights leaders—and the burdens of leadership took their toll on him....
Take a moment today to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

and the good work he accomplished to make our country a better place:
More on Dr. King from History.com

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 10:59:00 AM 0 comments

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Monday, January 15, 2018

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Today, Take A Moment To Remember And Honor His Legacy - "Life's Most Persistent And Urgent Question is: What Are You Doing For Others"

The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Dr. King is remembered and honored for many things including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".

An excerpt:
... A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest....
The full text of Letter From A Birmingham Jail is here and a short excerpt of audio below.



Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech - I've Been To The Mountain Top.



Politcio has an excellent article on the last years of Dr. King's life.
... Almost 50 years after his death, we remember MLK as the transcendent figure who helped lift the South out of Jim Crow. We also remember him as almost preternaturally calm in the face of great pressure and danger. He was indeed all of these things. But the passage of time has obscured his dimensionality. In the last years of his life, King expanded his vision beyond the former Confederacy and took on a broader struggle to dismantle America’s jigsaw edifice of racial and economic discrimination—a struggle that took him deep into northern states and cities, where onetime allies became bitter enemies. He did so even as he strained to keep a fractious civil rights movement unified, and in the face of unremitting sabotage from federal authorities.

He was a young man, still in his 30s—foisted onto the national stage with actors many years or decades his senior, suspect in the eyes of both younger and older civil rights leaders—and the burdens of leadership took their toll on him....
Take a moment today to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
and the good work he accomplished to make our country a better place:
"Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"
More on Dr. King from History.com

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 2:19:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 16, 2017

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Today - Take A Moment To Remember And Honor His Legacy


The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Dr. King is remembered and honored for many things including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail". An excerpt:
...An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal.

Let me give another explanation. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest....
The full text of Letter From A Birmingham Jail is here and a short excerpt of audio below.



Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech - I've Been To The Mountain Top.



Politcio has an excellent article on the last years of Dr. King's life.
... the man who helped spearhead a movement that had pressed successfully for laws integrating schools, public accommodations and voting booths was ready to take the struggle north, where, as he put it, “the moral force of SCLC’s nonviolent movement philosophy was needed to help eradicate a vicious system which seeks to further colonize thousands of Negroes within a slum environment.”...
Take a moment today to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the good work he accomplished to make our country a better place.

Pride (In The Name of Love) is U2's Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride.

In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
A You Tube video of U2's Pride interlaced with a slide show of Dr. King's speeches and news clips.



More on Dr. King from History.com

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 12:15:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 18, 2016

Martin Luther King Jr Day Today - Take A Moment To Remember


The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Dr. King is remembered and honored for many things including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail". An excerpt:
...An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal.

Let me give another explanation. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest....
The full text of Letter From A Birmingham Jail is here and a short excerpt of audio below.



Pride (In The Name of Love) is U2's Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride.

In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
A You Tube video of U2's Pride interlaced with a slide show of Dr. King's speeches and news clips.



Here's an excerpt of Dr. King's last speech - I've Been To The Mountain Top.



Take a moment today to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the good work he accomplished to make our country a better place.

More on Dr. King from History.com

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 2:27:00 PM 0 comments

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Friday, January 16, 2015

You're Invited To Martin Luther King Day Ceremony At Roosevelt Island Seniors Center Saturday January 17


Jim Bates of the Roosevelt Island Seniors Association invites you to:
Martin Luther King Ceremony
When: Saturday January 17th
Time: 5pm
Where: 546 Main Street (Senior Center)
Refreshments to follow
See you tomorrow

Monday, January 19, is the Martin Luther King Day Holiday.

Go see the movie Selma. Here's the trailer.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 6:08:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 20, 2014

Martin Luther King Jr Day Today - Take A Moment To Remember


The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Dr. King is remembered and honored for many things including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail". An excerpt:
...An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal.

Let me give another explanation. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest....
The full text of Letter From A Birmingham Jail is here and a short excerpt of audio below.



Pride (In The Name of Love) is U2's Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride.

In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
A You Tube video of U2's Pride interlaced with a slide show of Dr. King's speeches and news clips.



Take a moment today to remember Martin Luther King Jr. and the good work he accomplished to make our country a better place.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 12:31:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 16, 2012

Martin Luther King Jr Day Today - Take A Moment To Remember


The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

He is remembered and honored for many things including his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail". An excerpt:
...An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal.

Let me give another explanation. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest....
The full text of Letter From A Birmingham Jail is here and a short excerpt of audio below.



Pride (In The Name of Love) is U2's Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride.

In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
A You Tube video of U2's Pride interlaced with a slide show of Dr. King's speeches and news clips.



Take a moment today to remember Martin Luther King Jr. and the good work he accomplished to make our country a better place.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 1:50:00 PM 0 comments

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Monday, January 17, 2011

Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day With Service To Your Roosevelt Island And NYC Community - Roosevelt Island Seniors Holding MLK Celebration This Afternoon At 2 PM


Today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Rather than celebrate Dr. King by only taking a relaxing day off from work or school, why not use at least a portion of the day to consider finding a way to help somebody out either today or sometime in the near future?


You Tube Video of Martin Luther King Jr. A Life of Service

A great way to commemorate Dr. King's Birthday and his life work is to participate in the MLK Day Of Service.
What is the MLK Day of Service?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"

Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.

The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems.
One way for Roosevelt Island residents to help out here at home is to volunteer with DASH - Disabled Association Support of the Homebound - founded by Roosevelt Island Doctor Jack Resnick. According to DASH:
We have various volunteering opportunities from visiting homebound patients and delivering food to fund raising events.
All For Good lists other volunteer ideas in the NYC area but none are listed for Roosevelt Island specifically.

RIOC reports that the Senior Center will be holding a Martin Luther King Day commemoration later today.
The Senior Center is commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 17th at 2:00 pm with guest speakers and refreshments. RISA has informed us that they would welcome any donations of home-baked goods that are brought to the celebration.


Here's a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from an earlier post.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 8:08:00 AM 0 comments

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Monday, January 19, 2009

Barack Obama Issues A Call To Serve On Dr. Martin Luther King Day & Roosevelt Island's Doctor Resnick Responds With Plan to Help Home Bound Neighbors


You Tube Video of Martin Luther King Day Call to Service by President-elect Barack Obama

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Rather than celebrate Dr. King by taking a relaxing day off from work or school, President- elect Barack Obama challenges Americans with a Call To Serve your community and neighbors. Roosevelt Island's Doctor Jack Resnick has accepted the challenge and sends the following message regarding a new volunteer program he is developing to help the home bound elderly and disabled residents of Roosevelt Island.

Dr. Resnick will explain his plans later tonight (6PM) during an event held by the Roosevelt Island Seniors Association honoring Dr. Martin Luther King being held at Seniors Center (546 Main Street). Dr. Resnick will also talk about his plan on Tuesday prior to the RIOC sponsored viewing of the Presidential Inaugural at the Good Shepherd Community Center. (Main Street WIRE has more here.) According to Dr. Resnick:
We will be introducing a new volunteer service opportunity to Roosevelt Island residents at an MLK Day event at the Senior Center and the next day at the chapel during the RIOC sponsored community inaugural event.

The inspiration for this came from an e-mail from Michelle Obama encouraging people to a Call for Service on those two days and is posted on their web site as an event.

The idea has the support of the leaders of both the Seniors (Dolores Greene) and The Disabled (Virginia Granato) Associations.

The idea -- at this early stage -- is create Independence at Home Volunteers. People would offer their time to help out homebound Roosevelt Island residents. There would be a central clearing house where individuals could request help and offer help. The time people served would generate credits. If some day in the future a volunteer needed assistance, he or she would be able to draw down on those credits. The idea needs a lot of work but I'm hoping that someone will come forward at one of these meetings and offer to spearhead such an organization.
Last week, a new Roosevelt Island resident and reader of this blog wrote in asking:
Hi Roosevelt Islander
I enjoy reading your blog. My wife, son and I are recent arrivals (July 08, Manhattan Park) on the Island, and your blog has been key in staying up to date on Island life.
I'm wondering if you're aware of any volunteer opportunities on the Island for MLK day? Thanks for any thoughts you might have.
At the time I was not aware of Doctor Resick's plan but I suggested:
I am not aware of any volunteer activities on RI specifically for, or on, MLK day but there are Roosevelt Island volunteer opportunities. Take a look at this post on volunteering at Coler Goldwater hospital. I know the Girl Scouts were looking for volunteer leaders and there is a boy scout troop on the Island as well. Also, check out an organization called Orphans International which is HQed on the Island with an office next to the candy store on Main Street.
Also:
If you are interested in tutoring/mentoring, I would suggest contacting the Roosevelt Island Youth Center. or the Child/Legacy High School as well as PS/IS 217.
Please let me know if anyone has any other ideas for volunteer opportunities on Roosevelt Island.

More on the Martin Luther King Day Jr. Day of Service.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 10:20:00 AM 0 comments

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Friday, April 4, 2008

Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated 40 years Ago Today

Sadly, today is the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Rev Martin Luther King Jr. on a Memphis Tennessee motel balcony. He was 39 years old.

Here's a You Tube video following Dr. King from Birmingham Alabama to his last speech in Memphis before he was killed.


And a You Tube video of Robert Kennedy's speech after learning of King's assassination.


How might the United States been different had these two men not been killed?

An excerpt and audio of King's Letter from a Birmingham jail is here.

Here's how the BBC reported on the assassination at the time.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 3:52:00 PM 1 comments

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Monday, January 21, 2008

A Roosevelt Islander's Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. Day


The third Monday in January has been designated as a Federal holiday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was born January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

An excerpt from his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".
...An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal.

Let me give another explanation. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in it's application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest.
Here is audio of the Birmingham letter.

Pride (In The Name of Love) is U2's Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride.

In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
A You Tube video of U2's Pride interlaced with a slide show of Dr. King's speeches and news clips.

By ROOSEVELT ISLANDER at 11:40:00 AM 2 comments

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