Category: History

Martin Luther King Jr.: “My Dream Has Turned into a Nightmare.”

About 50 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King on May 8, 1967 in an interview with Sander Vanocur said, “That dream I had that day has turned into a nightmare.” In an extraordinary, wide-ranging conversation, King took acknowledged the sole purpose and revising moments he’d gone through since his most famous speech. He expressed to Vanocur that his old pursuit of happiness through the civil rights movement was not the way anymore and then come to realization.

Things were changing for King since 1963, John F. Kennedy life was taken away. Kennedy had been impressed by King and had delivered his own nationally televised speech on civil rights in June of that year to complimented. Lyndon B. Johnson was the President in which the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act was passed, declaring in a memorable 1965 speech to Congress, “We shall overcome.” But by 1967 Johnson had taken the country deeply into the war in Vietnam. Which was something that Dr. King would go against.

By 1967, King also had to contend with the fact that he was no longer the unchallenged leader of the civil rights movement. Increasingly rejected his message of non-violence preaching “Black Power,” and encouraging oppressed blacks to fight back. In growing numbers, they did. And following the victories of the early Sixties in desegregating schools and lunch counters and securing the right to vote, King took on the far more difficult task of improving poverty and economic injustice.

We best know him for his impact on civil rights, bringing all people together, and his ‘I Have a Dream Speech’ but it would be years later that he would no longer be about.

A lot had changed about Dr. King’s motto since 1963.  Preaching black power and encouraging oppressed blacks to fight back.

In the early 1900s in Tulsa, Oklahoma where proactive African American entrepreneurs had their own governed community in Greenwood District named Black Wall Street. During this segregational period, the Black community was unified understanding the importance of building economic wealth for each other. These businesses consisted of 21 restaurants, 21 churches, 30 grocery stores, two hospitals, law offices, a bank, and a post office, housing, education including schools and libraries, public transportation, and six private planes. Black Wall Street gave the infrastructure of success in the black community.

On June 1, 1921, a great Massacre took place in right in the midst of Greenwood District bombed and burned to the ground. Behind it all was the White Supremacy Ku Klux Klan organization being known for their destruction and mass murders against blacks while invading their communities. Whites who were less fortunate grew jealous and envious of the African American’s self-empowerment. Black owners were highly proud of what they had helped build and wanted it to continue for generations to come. Blacks refused to give up any of their property or businesses to whites. This invasion led to over 600 businesses crashing and having 36 blocks worth of land with a population of 15,000 African Americans 3,000 lives were lost and 1,500 homes burned. Many entrepreneurs from Black Wall Street owned some of the biggest cotton gins and farms. It was great for African Americans to have great leadership initiative in their communities and be able to run it themselves. This took place when a time where blacks were under a lot of harder circumstances than today. Under the circumstances today don’t you think we can rebuild Black Wall Street?

January 16, 2017, Monday in the parking lot across from the Minute Maid Ball Park Houstonians made their dedication to Martin Luther King an entertaining outing. Having local music artist showcase and perform in front a crowd of all ages giving them positive vibes to reflect the impact Martin Luther King has made on the African American community. We all know Martin Luther King for him pushing the freedom, justice, and equality which led to the passing of the Civil Rights act in 1964. Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee spoke at the and brought up congressman John Lewis who was one of Martin Luther King’s right-hand men during the Civil Rights movement. Also spoke about the importance of expressing yourself.

“If there are problems with your child’s school, you should use your voice to speak out about the issue that needs to be addressed,” Lee says. “If what is given to your child isn’t helping them with math there must be divine instructions to help with mathematics.”

Martin Luther King Day is all about knowing that you can have as much of an impact you want to be in society. It’s important to know history and pass it on to help uplift the minds of others.