There is always a danger when memory slips into nostalgia. History is complex, and the retelling of a story is deeply conditioned by the one bearing witness.
As we approach this MLK weekend, it is important to hold onto the complexity of King’s work and words. He was not a universal hero in his time, evidenced most viscerally by his martyrdom. There is a tendency to flatten the memory of the dead so that it is palatable for the living. (We often do the same thing with Jesus.) Empire always kills the prophets of any age. Remember that every time you see an image online touting the safest MLK quotes superimposed on images of racial harmony. The dream is not yet realized, and the work is still very much real.
This week I have been thinking a lot about the friendships that sustained King’s life. Some of my favorite thinkers were profoundly shaped by their friendship with King. There is a picture of Will Campbell on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, hours after the tragedy of King’s murder. There is the picture of Abraham Heschel marching with King at various occasions. There are pictures of King laughing with Ralph Abernathy alongside pictures of them looking like the world is weighing on their shoulders together.
We have a romantic image of the lone hero, but this is never the full story. We all need a community of care that might sustain us in the vocations to which we are called.
Below is a video the staff shared with one another that shows the community surrounding the movement King represented.
On Humor as a Sustaining Practice
The other part of King’s life that it is helpful for understanding his work is his sense of levity he sustained while in the midst of the work for justice. Thanks to Austin Channing Brown for the reminder about this side of his humanity.
Lastly, a sermon
This is from a friend of mine guest preaching at All Saints Pasadena.
