The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC
In the United States, the third Monday in January is and has been dedicated to the memory and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the great pioneers of not just the Civil Rights Movement, but also of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. Had it not been for the works and efforts of this great man, Society would not have embraced DEI as it stands today.
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in Washington, DC for his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial.
Of course, Dr. King’s efforts came at a time when those of African American Culture were subjected to cruel injustice and racist behaviors. These injustices and behaviors didn’t stand then, and they still don’t stand today. People of all races, cultures and backgrounds deserve to have a chance to make their mark on the world.
But it’s not just because of the importance of race that we have to commend Dr. King for his actions, we also have to commend what Dr. King did as an example for the neurodiversity and disability communities. This is especially true if there are members in the community that are off a different race or background.
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leading the walk across the bridge in Selma, Alabama in 1963
Back in the time of the Civil Rights movement, if you were of a different race or background and you had a disability, then your life was already a living hell. You sought after services that were denied to you simply because you were different than somebody else. Being diagnosed with a physical or intellectual disability was just a part of who you were and in addition to racism, you were subjected to ableism, too.
In a way, Dr. King saw that those who were of color and of ability could contribute as greatly to society as anybody else and had it not been for him, we would not have taken inspiration from the Civil Rights movement and created our own movement for the Disability and Neurodiversity communities.
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I will say this that Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are the main ingredients for all walks of life and thanks to Martin Luther King, Jr., we now have those main ingredients to try and ensure that anyone of race, background or ability are not subjected to the horrors of what was experienced all those many years ago. Dr. King, I thank you and all those who came before and after you for all you have done to make DEI what it is today.
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King (1978)
Now, if you want to have a visual example of Martin Luther King’s life, then I would recommend the miniseries, “King” (1978) starring Paul Winfield and Cicely Tyson. I will admit that I have seen bits and pieces of it, but from the looks of it, it’s a very strong film that can leave you with an understanding of the Civil Rights movement from a visual perspective.
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Catch you all later!!
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