3 MLK Day Pushes: Not Service, but Transformation; Fighting Global Oppression; Deepening Interconnection

January 16, 2020

On MLK Day, remember (and read more at the links):

  • MLK worked for transformation, not for service.On MLK Day, Americans will be encouraged to volunteer in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. Inevitably, one sentence from King’s final sermon, “The Drum Major Instinct,” will be shared: “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Many volunteers will complete the day believing the quote refers to annual volunteering. But the sermon was about a much larger challenge: finding one’s role within organizations and movements dedicated to the long struggle for justice.” – More.
  • MLK’s travels helped him understand and form alliances to resist global oppression. “EVERY JANUARY IN THE UNITED STATES, we celebrate the life of the civil rights leader and minister, Martin Luther King, Jr. These celebrations frequently focus on King’s dream of ending discrimination in America. But they rarely mention that MLK was also an avid traveler, and had a vision for justice that extended well beyond the United States. Through his visits to places like India and Ghana and his interactions with people around the world, here are six insights MLK learned:” – More.
  • MLK understood global interconnection and interdependence as central. “Christmas Eve 1967 — the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood in his pulpit at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta andtold the congregationthat in order to achieve peace on earth, “we must develop a world perspective,” a vision for the entire planet. “Yes,” he said, “as nations and individuals, we are interdependent.” Then, with a sentence that could easily have been uttered by John Muir or Rachel Carson, Dr. King stated, “It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated.” – More.

His speeches and writings are widely available online. Draw on them. Strengthen your resolve. Be maladjusted to everyday injustice.


Globalsl advances ethical, critical, aspirationally de-colonial community-based learning and research for more just, inclusive, and sustainable communities. Globalsl will host a Community-based Global Learning 101 on October 1, 2020, in Philadelphia, immediately preceding the October 2 – 3  Conference of the Pennsylvania Council for International Education. Save the Dates.

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