The first time I went to Georgia was more than 20 years ago while I was dating my future wife. She suggested we visit Stone Mountain Park near her childhood home outside Atlanta. The name of the site was vaguely familiar.
As we climbed up the bare rock, I suddenly remembered where I recognized it: Stone Mountain was one of the heights Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. referenced in his “I Have A Dream” speech. On that August day in 1963, King declared before 250,000 people, “Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain in Georgia!”
Today, the site lies at the center of a national debate about the validity of Confederate monuments. The landmark features an enormous sculpture of three Confederate leaders: Robert E Lee, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and Jefferson Davis. The Ku Klux Klan held annual gatherings there for 50 years, complete with cross burnings, which continued in King’s time.
King summoned that site and many other heights in his iconic speech. From the snow-capped Rockies, to the Alleghenies, to Lookout Mountain in Tennessee, King believed that one day freedom would ring “from every hill and every molehill in America.”
In our times of racial tension and division, we reflect on King’s vision of a future when all Americans – regardless of their skin color – will “sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”
This week, we will mark MLK Day. In our times of racial division and national tension, we reflect on King’s vision of a future when all Americans – regardless of their skin color – will “sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”
Today, that vision is more urgent than ever. As Americans reel from last week's unprecedented mob attack on the US Capitol, King's unifying message of hope and optimism beckons us. He taught us that it is possible "to hew a stone of hope from a mountain of despair."
Martin Luther King Jr. was raised in Atlanta, Ga. He was the son of a Baptist minister, the Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. As a boy, he not only heard his father preach – he witnessed him protest. Once, while buying a pair of shoes in Atlanta, the boy’s father refused to sit in the back of the store, asserting that he would never accept the system of segregation.
Although Martin questioned religion in his youth, he went on to become a minister. From his pulpit, he saw and experienced the travails and injustices afflicting American blacks. King believed that all people deserve justice. A great supporter of Israel, King once observed that opposition to Zionism is tantamount to anti-Semitism.
When King stood at the Lincoln Memorial during his “I Have A Dream” speech, he spoke about “the sweltering summer of injustice.” Like many who had come “fresh from narrow jail cells,” King personally experienced tribulation. Yet, he believed that “the bank of justice was not bankrupt.” What was the source of his optimism?
On one level, King believed in the promise of America. He believed that the Declaration of Independence made the promise of unalienable rights to blacks as much as to whites. He believed that his dream was the American dream. But King also reached further back in history for his vision.
As a child, he memorized verses of the Bible. He was inspired by Jewish prophets like Isaiah, who continually advanced the hope for Tzedek and Mishpat (righteousness and justice). King was stirred by the vision of Amos, who foresaw a time when justice will “roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
This hope – a hope rooted in Jewish scripture – was a vision King advanced until his final day. King was murdered on April 4, 1968. The night before, he spoke at the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tenn. In his final speech, he decried the racial injustice in the city.
While King knew that difficult days lay ahead, he invoked the image of Moses, telling his listeners that he, like Moses, had been to the mountaintop and seen the promised land. While he couldn’t predict that he himself would cross the Jordan, King knew that “we, as a people, will get to the promised land.”
King was a devout Baptist, yet, as Jews, we can learn from King’s insight into our prophets. King evoked their message of justice as he inspired his generation.
King taught us to hope and that words – prophetic words – have the power to shape our world. Without any position of authority, King's vision became the basis for the landmark civil rights laws enacted in the 1960s.
Climbing that day at Stone Mountain, my wife recalled a time when Jews did not feel comfortable at the park. When her family frequented the site as she was growing up, her brother and father wore baseball caps to remain inconspicuous as Jews. That day, looking at the Atlanta skyline from atop the mountain, I thought back to how King struggled for his community – and for ours.
This MLK Day arrives in the shadow of an attack on the US Capitol. As we look toward brighter days for our republic, let us learn from the legacy of a leader who believed deeply in the promise and hope of America. After all, Martin Luther King Jr. climbed to the top of the mountain. From its height, he showed us the promised land.
(16) Harry S Pearle, January 18, 2021 3:38 PM
MLK (JR) Day Reflections on DREAMS and the NOW?
Dear Rabbi Brodkin, Thanks so much for your great comments.
But let me suggest that Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, was always referred to as
JUNIOR. You mention his father, Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr, and I recall hearing
him speak in Chicago, after his son was shot.
So, today, we mark: Martin Luther King JR, Day in the USA.
=============================================
I think the Junior addition, can remind us of humility. (Also, Joe Biden, J)
We are all really children of our parents, and we can be humbled, because of it.
But let me mention a comment that my own father once gave to me.
He said that I was "a dreamer." At the time I did not know what to make of this.
But now, years later, I can see both the positive and negative of DREAMER.
A dreamer has hope for the future, yes. But there is also the NOW.
What is it that we can try to accomplish right NOW, without waiting?
There three words, contain the same letters: NOW, WON, OWN.
What can we utilized, now. As Hillel said: "It not now, when?"
=============================================
Ken Brodkin, January 18, 2021 4:33 PM
Harry, thank you very much for your comments. You make a good point that Jr. was an important part of MLK's humble identity. Thanks for pointing that out and sharing your experiences. Be well.
(15) Avrohom Horovitz, January 17, 2021 7:37 PM
Minyan on top of Stone Mountain
I think for the first time we had a Sunrise Minyan on top of Stone Mountain this past December organized By Beth Jacob Synagogue in Toco Hills, Atlanta. We had about 30 people join us.
(14) Stan geels, January 16, 2021 2:59 PM
God’s Grace and peace always amen
Thank you for the reminder Amos vision
(13) Marvin Rofsky, Ph.D., January 15, 2021 9:58 PM
Where are the MLK's today
I grew up as a kid during WW11, I served in Korea! I'm proud of my heritage. even at my advanced ageI remember the Freedom Riders and the Jewish young men that were dragged off the train and buried in a shallow muddy grave! MLK would be horrified and ashamed of the antisemitism among blacks today! what is occurring inner country is shameful
(12) Ronald Stewart, January 15, 2021 6:36 PM
Real Heroes of Faith
Martin Luther King, martyred for being a prophet carried a torch few men in this generation dare to carry. Mr Trump has tried to lift up a moral banner never before attained, and as such persecuted beyond measure. Reality demands justice, is there a prophet who believes Truth? contact me please while we still have a moment and a heartbeat.
(11) Avrel Nudelman, January 15, 2021 5:37 PM
This is a very well written piece and could not be more relevant.
(10) Miriam Lambert, January 15, 2021 3:55 AM
Wonderful!
Thank you for this reminder of Dr. King's legacy of light in this most dark of national moments. May we all come to sit at that table of brotherhood, soon and in our days.
(9) Rachel, January 14, 2021 11:46 PM
Beautiful and timely
As those of us who were aware of King’s efforts and achievements get older, it’s very important that younger generations be educated about his work.
(8) Joan Stiber, January 14, 2021 10:01 PM
Great article
Excellent article, Rabbi Brodkin! Your message is so true and so timely! Thank you!
(7) Dr Betty Evans, January 14, 2021 5:51 PM
Toda Raba
We are one people, living in one nation. America can be great as long as she put God first. Martin knew this. His faith was in her God . To all my brothers and sisters listen , love never fail. Hope and mercy are the seed bed of peace and prosperity.
Hate will always divide, separate and destroy. Let’s build on the sure foundation of kindness. There is a life after this to answer for. Must give account. To God be the glory.
Toda
Rev. Dr. Betty Evans
(6) DAME Munni irone, January 14, 2021 3:52 PM
WORLDIWDEYOUTHCONGRESS.NET
VERY GOOD INFORMATION. THIS IS JEWISH YOUTH CONGREGATION. PLEASE JOIN. I'M CREATING OUR OWN JEWISH UNITED NATION. SINCE THYE HAE US. WE WILL LOVE EVERYONE.
(5) MESA, January 14, 2021 3:21 PM
It's too bad that we don't have enough leaders like him today.
(4) Ra'anan, January 14, 2021 2:44 PM
"I Have a Dream" ALWAYS gets me emotional...
I appreciate Dr. ML King's being influenced by his father's example.
(3) Annie Robbins Sanders, January 12, 2021 3:58 PM
Great article!
This is truly a wonderful article. Thanks so much for sharing. Much needed in this day and time!
(2) Henry Afamefuna Ilona, January 12, 2021 12:09 AM
He Was An Icon Of Hope.
Martin Luther king Jr was an icon of hope, whose message brought hope to the hopeless and downtrodden. What a beautiful article, excellently written, full of insight and sagacity.
(1) Anonymous, January 11, 2021 4:02 AM
Hope needed
This article shows us how great leaders can be dreamers of a better world. Even after a leader passes on, their vision can stay with us. Their words still motivate us to take action to pursue tzedek and mishpat. Nicely written article.