Fifty years ago today on November 22 1963, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated. Earlier that same year, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I have a dream" speech.
Audience members filled historic Meharry Hall on DePauw's campus last night to hear Martin Luther King III mark the anniversary of both these events as part of the Ubben Lecture Series as he presented his lecture titled, "Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of Two Pivotal Events: My Father's 'Dream' and JFK in Dallas." King marked the third Ubben lecturer this semester.
"On the fiftieth anniversary of the 'I have a dream' speech," King said. "People all across the world let freedom ring."
He detailed the many towns, cities and even countries that had participated in bell-ringing earlier this year as part of a memorial for his father's March on Washington.
"That was the day our nation embraced a vision of equality," he said.
King was introduced by Political Science Professor Clarissa Peterson, who spoke of King's many achievements and triumphs towards social justice in all forms.
"It must be difficult to carry the legacy of a man as great as his father," Peterson said. "But then I realize, his son has managed to carry the torch so that his father's light may carry on."
King, an advocate for social progress in today's world, detailed the motivations and effects of two earlier seekers of justice: his father and President Kennedy.
He specifically discussed the parts of the "Dream" speech that he feels have been too often overlooked. Though many of today's school children can recite parts of the speech, he said, many have forgotten his father's overwhelming message of non-violence.
"Nonviolent action in its many forms remains our only chance of ending poverty and racism, war and injustice. [...] it's time we redefine violence as an unacceptable response to struggles" he said.
Though a proponent for nonviolent action, King recognized that today's current political climate is not particular inductive for social chance or acceptance and in fact argued that the condition in Washington DC today are in many ways worse than they were in 1963.
"Sure, there were social division in 1963, very deep divisions, but they were divisions that could reasonably be expected to be worked through by lawmakers. That's something that with today's gridlocks and stalemates we could not imagine," he said.
King also detailed the effect of President Kennedy's passing 50 years ago on the Civil Rights movement and on the nation as a whole.
"I remember seeing people crying for days afterward, the entire nation seemed grief-stricken and apprehensive about America's future.
Elected in 1960, President Kennedy faced many problems throughout his presidency both domestically and abroad. The threat of nuclear war was overshadowing America in1963, while protests and cries for change rang out as part of the Civil Rights Movement. King feels that Kennedy was able to face these challenges head on.
"By the time he was assassinated, Jack Kennedy was regarded by millions of African Americans as a friend to our freedom struggle," he said.
King then quoted his mother, Coretta Scott King, repeating something he himself had said as a six-year-old boy right after the President's assassination.
"'Daddy, President Kennedy was your best friend wasn't he?'" young King said to his father. His mother later said, "In a way, he was."
Though 50 years have passed since these momentous occasions, King still sees many changes waiting to be made in the world. He deplored what he sees as the current ongoing assault on the right to vote, as well as the overwhelming number of African Americans in America's prison system and the continued high levels of poverty in America today.
"It is said that the first part of your life is dedicated to success and the latter part is to significance," King said. "Hopefully you can be successful and provide significance at the same time."
Peterson feels that King has done more than his fair share, ensuring that his father's passion for social justice and equality has continued on to the next generation.
"Mr. King has been dedicated to creating a more perfect community both here and abroad," she said.
Sophomore Carter Franke felt that King's message of continued improvement of society by all of its members was inspiring.
"To make a change, you don't have to do it with a big organization and make a big speech about it and do this big protest, but it can happen within a small organization," she said. "That's just one step towards healing a community."
King left his audience members with a quote from Horace Mann, urging those listening to take it to heart.
"'Be ashamed to die, until you have won a victory for humanity.'"