Well respected, honored and appreci- ated for his civil rights activism, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. rightfully earned his place as one of the most influential figures in American and world history. Through his religious teachings and so- cial activism, Dr. King played a key role in the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
“Segregation forever”
In his inaugural address at the Alabama Capitol in 1963, Wallace famously pledged, “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever!” A rallying cry against racial equality, his words haunted him.
“I didn’t write those words about segregation now, tomorrow and forever,” Wallace told reporter Carl Rowan in 1991. “I saw them in the speech written for me and planned to skip over them. But the wind-chill factor was 5 below zero when I gave that speech. I started reading just to get it over and read those words without thinking. I have regretted it all my life.”
Despite those regrets, Wallace behaved as though he believed what he’d said. He forcefully opposed integrating Alabama’s schools and never punished the state troopers who, on March 7, 1965, turned a peaceful march across the Edmund Pettis Bridge into what came to be known as Bloody Sunday. Footage of troopers brutally beating voting rights marchers shocked the nation.
Filed in In Memoriam on January 15, 2021
Miriam Decosts-Willis, the first Black faculty member at what is now the University of Memphis and whose career in higher education spanned four decades, died on January 7 at her home in Memphis, Tennessee. She was 86 years old.
A native of Florence, Alabama, Dr. Decosta-Willis was the granddaughter of a slave. She was the first African American student to be admitted to Westover, a preparatory school in Middlebury, Connecticut. She was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wellesley College in Massachusetts. When she was denied admission to graduate programs at what was then Memphis State University due to the color of her skin, she earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Dr. Decosta was one of the first Black women to earn a doctorate at Johns Hopkins.
There is no doubt that King withstood great opposition while fighting for the rights of African Americans. But, he didn’t let those circumstances define how he approached civil disobedience and he never caved to the pressure around him.
I Have a Dream: Dr. King’s Legacy Lives On
Gene Stratton-Porter, New Harmony and Whitewater Canal State Historic Sites are closed due to seasonal hours.
Enjoy special activities at the Indiana State Museum honoring King, including screenings of King’s speeches, a letter-writing and drawing campaign called “Love for Our Elders” that focuses on serving others while still being socially distanced and safe, a “Marching in Their Shoes” activity that will encourage participants to identify what causes they’re passionate about and more.
Until then, here are some things you should know about the Baptist minister who played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement.