Remembering Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King, Jr. was perhaps one of the best Baptist Preachers in history besides Harry Emerson Fosdick, so here are some links to Fosdick's influence on MLK:

Harry Emerson Fosdick's Influence On Martin luther king jr

"How to Use the Bible in Modern Theological Construction"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

And of course, Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech was influenced by Fosdick:

Unfortunately, King’s fame has obscured the contributions of James Farmer, Ella Baker, John Lewis, Fannie Lou Hamer, and others, who, like King, mastered Gandhian strategy in the quest for racial justice.

But King’s fiery yet magisterial language convinced whites to tear down the walls of legalized segregation. He triumphed by reviving the slaves’ vivid identification with the biblical Hebrews trapped in Egyptian bondage, a strategy especially evident in “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” Trained by African American folk preachers, he adopted their assumption that language is a shared treasure, not private property. King often borrowed sermons without acknowledgment from Harry Emerson Fosdick and other liberal preachers. This borrowed material appears in scores of King’s published and unpublished addresses and essays, including “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” “I Have a Dream,” the Nobel Prize Address, and “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” By synthesizing black and white pulpit traditions, King persuaded whites to hear the slaves’ cry, “Let my people go!”

---Martin Luther King, Jr.
(1929-1968)

More On The 1898 Memorial

Continuing from this post:

More on 1898
The 1898 Monument and Memorial Park will be dedicated at 10 a.m. Saturday. The park is at 1018 N. Third St.

The 1898 Memorial Foundation has published “Moving Forward Together: A Community Remembers 1898” to commemorate the 110th anniversary on Monday. This textbook highlighting the history, the genesis of the 1898 Memorial Park and the efforts for community reconciliation, is on sale at local bookstores. Books also will be available at a booksigning during a reception at City Hall, 102 N. Third St., immediately after the park dedication. Copies will be sent to public libraries and high schools throughout the state.

Our choir performed at the service along with our sister church, First Baptist Missionary Church-Wilmington with whom we had a joint service earlier in the year to celebrate African-American heritage. Other community churches also participated in that event as well as the 1898 Memorial event.



See also:1898 Race Riots Wilmington.