Black History

Reading Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s letter from the Birmingham Jail on the floor of the United States Senate

NASHVILLE PRIDE — In April 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. penned a letter from his cell in the Birmingham Jail, where he and other protestors were detained for leading a series of nonviolent demonstrations in Birmingham.

Published

5 years ago

April 21, 2019

Lamar Alexander

By Senator Lamar Alexander

In April 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. penned a letter from his cell in the Birmingham Jail, where he and other protestors were detained for leading a series of nonviolent demonstrations in Birmingham.

Last week on the Senate floor I participated in a bipartisan commemorative reading of Dr. King’s letter led by Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama. Senator Jones had standing to lead this reading not just because he’s from Alabama, but because of his work as the United States attorney prosecuting Klansmen who blew up a church on 16th Street in Birmingham, killing four children and injuring others.

Sen. Jones noted that the civil rights movement was not too long ago. He was right.

I remember a day in August of 1963 when I was working at the United States Department of Justice as an intern. It was a hot summer day and the Washington streets were filled with people marching. It was about lunchtime when I went outside into that crowd and heard a booming voice from a man who was standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. And I heard the words that he hoped his four little children one day would live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. At the time, I don’t know if I was fully understanding what I was seeing and hearing, but I was witnessing Dr. King give his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

A year earlier, in 1962, I had been a senior at Vanderbilt University. At that time, Vanderbilt, a prestigious institution, was desegregating its undergraduate school. I was a part of that effort. But even then, African Americans couldn’t go to the same restaurants, stay in the same motels, or even go to the same bathrooms as White Americans. Again, that was not that long ago.

I was in Memphis recently, and I was with a group of African American leaders and asked: “If this meeting were held 50 years ago, how many of the positions you hold would be represented at this table today by African Americans?” The answer very quickly was “not one.”

The struggle for civil rights is not a snapshot—it is a panorama. As Ben Hooks, former director of the NAACP, used to say, you have to understand that America is a work in progress. We have a long way to go in terms of race relations, but we’ve made great progress since Dr. King wrote this letter from his jail cell in Birmingham.

There is no part of being an American that is more essential than understanding our struggle with race. And the worst grades of our children are not in math and science, but in United States History. This is why remembering and revisiting important events from our country’s past, such as the letter Dr. King wrote from his jail cell, or his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in Washington, are so important.

This article originally appeared in the Nashville Pride.

Lamar Alexander

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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April 26, 2024

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

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Black History

Matthew Henson: Explorer Extraordinaire

Matthew Henson, a trailblazing explorer who overcame countless obstacles to leave an incredible mark on history. Born on August 8, 1866, in Charles County, Maryland, his journey is a testament to the power of determination and the spirit of adventure.

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Matthew Henson (File Photo)

By Tamara Shiloh

Henson’s life began amidst the backdrop of post-Civil War America, where opportunities for African Americans were scarce. From a young age, he possessed an insatiable curiosity about the world beyond his small town. At the age of 12, he embarked on a journey that would change the course of his life forever when he joined a merchant ship as a cabin boy.

His most famous expedition was his journey to the Arctic with renowned explorer Robert E. Peary. In 1887, Henson joined Peary’s crew as a seaman and quickly proved himself to be invaluable with his skills as a navigator and craftsman. Over the course of several expeditions, Matthew endured extreme cold, treacherous terrain, and grueling conditions as he and Peary sought to reach the elusive North Pole.

In 1908–09, Peary set out on his eighth attempt to reach the North Pole. It was a big expedition, with Peary planning to leave supplies along the way. When he and Henson boarded their ship, the Roosevelt, leaving Greenland on August 18, 1909, they were joined by a large group. This included 22 Inuit men, 17 Inuit women, 10 children, 246 dogs, 70 tons of whale meat, blubber from 50 walruses, hunting gear, and tons of coal.

In February, Henson and Peary left their anchored ship at Ellesmere Island’s Cape Sheridan, along with the Inuit men and 130 dogs. They worked together to set up a trail and supplies along the way to the Pole.

Peary picked Henson and four Inuit people to join him in the final push to the Pole. However, before they reached their destination, Peary couldn’t walk anymore and had to ride in a dog sled. He sent Henson ahead to scout the way. In a later interview with a newspaper, Henson recalled being in the lead and realizing they had gone too far. The group turned back, and Henson noticed his footprints helped guide them to their destination. At that location, Henson planted the American flag.

Henson’s legacy extends far beyond his expeditions to the Arctic. He shattered racial barriers in the world of exploration and inspired countless individuals, regardless of race, to dream big and pursue their passions. In 1937, he was finally recognized for his achievements when he was inducted into The Explorers Club, an organization dedicated to promoting scientific exploration and field research.

Matthew Henson died in the Bronx, New York, on March 9, 1955, at the age of 88.