From Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech in Memphis, April 3, 1968:
“We’ve got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end. Nothing would be more tragic than to stop at this point in Memphis. We’ve got to see it through. And when we have our march, you need to be there. If it means leaving work, if it means leaving school — be there. Be concerned about your brother. You may not be on strike. But either we go up together, or we go down together.”
Martin Luther King Day is Monday, January 15th, and there are all kinds of events around town to honor the man and his cause:
When it comes to King, it doesn’t get any realer than at the National Civil Rights Museum. In addition to its permanent exhibits, on Monday there will be a study of African-American music, with live music outside beginning at 10 a.m.
The King Day parade begins at 10 a.m. at the corner of Main and Auction downtown and winds its way south to Handy Park where, at 11:30 a.m., there’ll be guest speakers, poetry, and more.
Hands on Memphis highlights public service as it hosts its 7th annual King Summit on Service on Saturday at Rhodes College with a panel discussion about Memphis education. On Monday, volunteers will take the Memphis Academy of Health Sciences Charter School into their hands, making murals, painting interior spaces, and sprucing up learning areas. Rhodes also will be celebrating the holiday with a Tuesday lecture by civil rights expert Charles Payne of Duke University.
Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 15th. For complete listings, check this week’s calendar, starting on page 32.
