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My Father, Martin Luther King Jr., Had Another Dream

The New York Times published this video op-ed from Martin Luther King III this morning.

“Martin Luther King Jr. is celebrated as a champion for civil rights. But today, I want you to think about a different part of my dad’s legacy. Something that you may not know, but it‘s more relevant today than ever — his fight against poverty and income inequality.” “But if a man doesn‘t have a job or an income, he has neither life nor liberty, and the possibility for the pursuit of happiness.” “When my father was shot in 1968 in Memphis, he was crusading for higher wages for black sanitation workers. Their work conditions were abysmal — low pay, no sick leave, and many were on welfare. In a speech to the workers, Dad said the issue is injustice. The issue is the — ” “Refusal of Memphis to be fair and honest in its dealings with its public servants.”

"If he saw the issues of poverty and income inequality that exist today, he would be greatly disappointed." - Martin Luther King III  (NYT, Jan 18, 2021)

Click here for the video.