coe-staff: Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and His Good Fight

Mon Jan 20 08:25:02 PST 2025

Dear COE Community,

I would like to share a short essay sent to me by our VP for Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Yvette Alex-Assensoh. In this essay, Yvette invites us to reflect on Rev. Dr. King Jr.’s teachings and wisdom and consider how we may all emulate his life in our actions and values.

As you remember Rev. Dr. King Jr., I hope you find wisdom and inspiration.

Warmly,
Laura Lee

Laura Lee McIntyre | Dean & Castle-McIntosh-Knight Professor (she/her)
University of Oregon | College of Education
230 Hedco Education Building | Eugene, OR 97403-1215
llmcinty at uoregon.edu<mailto:email at uoregon.edu> |  https://education.uoregon.edu<https://education.uoregon.edu/>
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Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and His Good Fight

by Yvette M. Alex-Assensoh

As a graduate student at the Ohio State University, I was awarded a graduate fellowship from Stanford University’s Martin Luther King. Jr. Papers Project<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/tpm4dtvab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001617eZC8iZnU30EO-FxbNbE2FtJgWLoqRib7T_cXwqwNgRRvz1jdmrnP2Q3jFTYaLPt4gmKeX0nXZHIxf90SJt-OlcrWwI4Y-vSd0HqP9KL_uoEf5HgdSQPgp-eTU9R8mk561qL7vkM6tX9xiVdAC-RHb0znQEoQoVUbqz5kkLb_5lhcrwn4y4aGGLfZJemQzSO3EMH4H9NDiqvdzWrAdeuWQJx2ORi4CE6j_g-lTHc8fI8CHn8JscsEMSC_lYkHB96PV2M2mhsBdv7-9SjoMzhuLrA6dbq0BIBEEURFwabTRMALd2JmHgrcA0RJNsbpMWrF92GEziWVX5OYJUMGO5KJtzqx2Hqb58KgQF_llRH1dllBHbD708vdL4oQYiQLQ__HciFlS-q4TfMjQfuVeJw==&c=bY6heWl98-QRm2zMiHT_h1So2v9evir0Szlf2AOWfTC8rTY1_S9m8A==&ch=D8_Ikeu0HhUUy08tWedfBp9AFGwEXecM3KDQ0LbXFP4HQeoeIDMBFQ==__;!!C5qS4YX3!DuFPohqwPRn4MG9b39TNhD4G6Rwtc_GJeBhp0jFNgIJmzPByh2BdIa7qtMzt3kSj6Cc-cpzN7a2HcfU$> (now a research center). That enabled me to help in compiling the first volume of the 13-volume Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s published papers. As I still recall, it was with deep reverence and delight that I carefully handled the copious letters, notes and speeches that Rev. Dr. King used in his good fight against racism, bigotry, terror and structural inequalities in Jim Crow American society.

Reflected in all of the actions, writings and words of the Georgia-born civil rights leader was his determination to not merely fight what he considered to be wrong, but also to do so in a way that modeled the best ideals of humanity, morality and egalitarianism. Today, I have selected to discuss three ways in which Rev. Dr. King’s good fight served American society as a potent invitation for all Americans to act similarly.

First and foremost, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. emphasized the inter-connectedness between love and power. In his own words, he said: “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic”. He also said that “Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love”.

His good fight requires that we do not simply nurture the growth and development of ourselves and others, but also that we call out and remove the barriers and injustices (both historical and contemporary) that prevent any known members of our UO community from achieving their personal best. The requisite work requires that we move through fear as well as out of the status quo and traditions, none of which serves us well. In working collaboratively to serve all of our students and to produce irresistible creative and scholarly work, we must focus simultaneously on the love and power to advance learning and change, while serving the beautiful people of Oregon and the world beyond.

Second, while living, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s good fight drew immense criticism from various segments of American society and around the world. While he is more beloved today, his relentless calls for societal change drew deep hatred, anger and derision from various segments of American society, including some of the downtrodden people that he claimed to represent. Admirably, Rev. Dr. King drew on his Judeo-Christian faith, while he was also known to have taken the time to relax, retreat and engage with others over good food and hopeful conversations. Therefore, all good fights must balance the difficulty of the work with renewal, restoration and reflection.

Third and finally, Rev. Dr. King selflessly fought for the common good. In fact, in one of his last public speeches, Rev. Dr. King foresaw his death, even as he affirmed that his fellow Black people in America and in the end, would reach the Promised Land of fairness, decency and humanity. The Promised Land is, therefore, both a final destination and a series of destinations along the way. Today, Rev. Dr. King’s legacy invites each of us to roll up our sleeves to work toward our own personal Promised Lands in ways that build the common good.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us to do what, in many ways, is inclusive and humane. Although he was a Baptist preacher, he still saw as his allies Jews, Muslims and people of the Hindu faith, just to name a few. Even as some scholars considered Rev. Dr. King’s father to be a Republican, his son worked strategically with Southern Democrats, Moderate Democrats and Republicans alike in the search for common ground, mutual respect and King’s beloved community. At a time of deep social upheaval in the 1960s, Rev. Dr. King’s leadership teams included people with disabilities, gays, lesbians, the affluent, poor and the middle class as well. Although he was also a well-educated man, he committed himself to using language and imagery that touched the hearts of formally educated elites as well as those who had limited formal education. For the Rev. Dr. King, the good fight included creating a coalition that was uncompromising in its commitment to racial as well as economic equality, inclusive of many voices and flexible in its approach.

As we reflect on the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who literally gave his life to bring about fairness to Black people and other downtrodden groups through the lens of democracy and freedom for all, his legacy continues to offer an invitation for all of us to reflect on how we can appropriately emulate his life.

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