Podcasts about where do we go from here chaos

As we honored Dr. King yesterday, we sit with the weight of this moment - stepping into another Trump presidency. Many of us remain committed to working towards a country rooted in collective liberation. Mom and I decided to root our discussion around Dr. King legacy, and his last book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? In this two part conversation, we chat with three phenomenal women, Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft, writer, organizer, speaker, and Consulting Minister for Justice & Community Organizing at Middle Church, the founder of Raising Imagination, Avril Somerville, writer  poet, and author of A Journey Of Life On PURPOSE, and Yaa Abbensetts-Dobson, writer and author (Departure Story), editor, entrepreneur and founder of Spoken Black Girl, and host of The Healing Entrepreneur Podcast.  Together  we unpack - building beloved community, why the church must divest from the false ideology of white supremacy, continually organizing for collective liberation, decolonizing, resisting the rise of global fascism, standing in active intersectional solidarity with all who are oppressed (because of race, disability, sexuality, gender, gender identity, etc.) the importance of soul work, and the many ways our faith in God, and creativity can propel us forward (Micah 6:8). Rev. Amanda is passionate about the intersections of race, faith, politics, and parenting and having conversations that move us towards a liberated society. She has presented nationwide on topics including systemic injustice, religion, raising white children as anti-racist, and involving young children in advocacy. You can learn more about her work here. Way to Take Action -  Connect with the Poor People's Campaign which organizes across the country.  Soul Care Resources >>> Two FREE downloads guiding you through breath prayer and meditating on scripture - prepared by Mom and I. >>> Check out our past episode - When It Feels Heavy, Connect to the Power of Prayer and Meditation Help Us Spread the Word! If you enjoy the Pray with our Feet podcast, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, where you can subscribe to the show. You can also listen on Spotify, and on all major streaming platforms. BE in Community with Us:  Find devotionals, blog posts, and shop in our  online store.  Head over to Instagram and Threads where the conversation continues between episodes.   Enjoy our @PrayWithOurFeet IG Live series, Move it Forward Monday, uplifting conversations that spark change with activists, community leaders, artists and more.   Special thank you to my husband Keston De Coteau, for podcast production; he is an award-winning videographer and photographer.

This podcast describes a short history of a man who did something we've lost in America. That man was James Baldwin who insisted on telling the truth. He confronted the harsh realities of racism, believing that exposing its ugliness was necessary for progress. He rejected simplistic solutions, arguing that racism was deeply rooted in American consciousness and imagination, beyond just political and economic inequalities. Instead, Baldwin called for a fundamental transformation of American society and identity. He critiqued white America, urging white Americans to confront their own behavior and complicity in racist systems. Controversially, Baldwin advocated for Black Americans to approach white countrymen with love, while still insisting on unconditional freedom, seeing this as necessary for true transformation. He ultimately wanted to build a nation that moved beyond racial categorization, focusing instead on individual humanity. Baldwin viewed racism as stemming from a deeper spiritual problem in America, where individuals and the nation lacked a true sense of identity. While he did not offer simple solutions to racism, Baldwin's penetrating analysis and powerful writing exposed the complexities of racism in our country, challenged both white and Black Americans to confront difficult truths, and provided a framework for understanding racism beyond just political reforms. His work continues to influence discussions on race in America today, aiming not to ameliorate racism in a superficial sense, but to push for a profound reckoning with and transformation of American society and identity in relation to race. Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone is a powerful novel that explores the complexities of race, sexuality, and identity in America through the life of its protagonist, Leo Proud/hammer. As the story begins, Leo, a successful African-American actor, suffers from a heart attack. As he recovers he reflects on his life and relationships. It is also of interest to note how James Baldwin's novel relates to Dr. Matin Luther King Jr.'s non-fiction book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Both books are discussed in terms of the major contributions they made to racism in America as well as how they illustrate psychoanalytic mechanism of defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/psychoanalysis

This podcast describes a short history of a man who did something we've lost in America. That man was James Baldwin who insisted on telling the truth. He confronted the harsh realities of racism, believing that exposing its ugliness was necessary for progress. He rejected simplistic solutions, arguing that racism was deeply rooted in American consciousness and imagination, beyond just political and economic inequalities. Instead, Baldwin called for a fundamental transformation of American society and identity. He critiqued white America, urging white Americans to confront their own behavior and complicity in racist systems. Controversially, Baldwin advocated for Black Americans to approach white countrymen with love, while still insisting on unconditional freedom, seeing this as necessary for true transformation. He ultimately wanted to build a nation that moved beyond racial categorization, focusing instead on individual humanity. Baldwin viewed racism as stemming from a deeper spiritual problem in America, where individuals and the nation lacked a true sense of identity. While he did not offer simple solutions to racism, Baldwin's penetrating analysis and powerful writing exposed the complexities of racism in our country, challenged both white and Black Americans to confront difficult truths, and provided a framework for understanding racism beyond just political reforms. His work continues to influence discussions on race in America today, aiming not to ameliorate racism in a superficial sense, but to push for a profound reckoning with and transformation of American society and identity in relation to race. Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone is a powerful novel that explores the complexities of race, sexuality, and identity in America through the life of its protagonist, Leo Proud/hammer. As the story begins, Leo, a successful African-American actor, suffers from a heart attack. As he recovers he reflects on his life and relationships. It is also of interest to note how James Baldwin's novel relates to Dr. Matin Luther King Jr.'s non-fiction book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Both books are discussed in terms of the major contributions they made to racism in America as well as how they illustrate psychoanalytic mechanism of defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

This podcast describes a short history of a man who did something we've lost in America. That man was James Baldwin who insisted on telling the truth. He confronted the harsh realities of racism, believing that exposing its ugliness was necessary for progress. He rejected simplistic solutions, arguing that racism was deeply rooted in American consciousness and imagination, beyond just political and economic inequalities. Instead, Baldwin called for a fundamental transformation of American society and identity. He critiqued white America, urging white Americans to confront their own behavior and complicity in racist systems. Controversially, Baldwin advocated for Black Americans to approach white countrymen with love, while still insisting on unconditional freedom, seeing this as necessary for true transformation. He ultimately wanted to build a nation that moved beyond racial categorization, focusing instead on individual humanity. Baldwin viewed racism as stemming from a deeper spiritual problem in America, where individuals and the nation lacked a true sense of identity. While he did not offer simple solutions to racism, Baldwin's penetrating analysis and powerful writing exposed the complexities of racism in our country, challenged both white and Black Americans to confront difficult truths, and provided a framework for understanding racism beyond just political reforms. His work continues to influence discussions on race in America today, aiming not to ameliorate racism in a superficial sense, but to push for a profound reckoning with and transformation of American society and identity in relation to race. Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone is a powerful novel that explores the complexities of race, sexuality, and identity in America through the life of its protagonist, Leo Proud/hammer. As the story begins, Leo, a successful African-American actor, suffers from a heart attack. As he recovers he reflects on his life and relationships. It is also of interest to note how James Baldwin's novel relates to Dr. Matin Luther King Jr.'s non-fiction book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Both books are discussed in terms of the major contributions they made to racism in America as well as how they illustrate psychoanalytic mechanism of defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

This podcast describes a short history of a man who did something we've lost in America. That man was James Baldwin who insisted on telling the truth. He confronted the harsh realities of racism, believing that exposing its ugliness was necessary for progress. He rejected simplistic solutions, arguing that racism was deeply rooted in American consciousness and imagination, beyond just political and economic inequalities. Instead, Baldwin called for a fundamental transformation of American society and identity. He critiqued white America, urging white Americans to confront their own behavior and complicity in racist systems. Controversially, Baldwin advocated for Black Americans to approach white countrymen with love, while still insisting on unconditional freedom, seeing this as necessary for true transformation. He ultimately wanted to build a nation that moved beyond racial categorization, focusing instead on individual humanity. Baldwin viewed racism as stemming from a deeper spiritual problem in America, where individuals and the nation lacked a true sense of identity. While he did not offer simple solutions to racism, Baldwin's penetrating analysis and powerful writing exposed the complexities of racism in our country, challenged both white and Black Americans to confront difficult truths, and provided a framework for understanding racism beyond just political reforms. His work continues to influence discussions on race in America today, aiming not to ameliorate racism in a superficial sense, but to push for a profound reckoning with and transformation of American society and identity in relation to race. Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone is a powerful novel that explores the complexities of race, sexuality, and identity in America through the life of its protagonist, Leo Proud/hammer. As the story begins, Leo, a successful African-American actor, suffers from a heart attack. As he recovers he reflects on his life and relationships. It is also of interest to note how James Baldwin's novel relates to Dr. Matin Luther King Jr.'s non-fiction book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Both books are discussed in terms of the major contributions they made to racism in America as well as how they illustrate psychoanalytic mechanism of defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

This podcast describes a short history of a man who did something we've lost in America. That man was James Baldwin who insisted on telling the truth. He confronted the harsh realities of racism, believing that exposing its ugliness was necessary for progress. He rejected simplistic solutions, arguing that racism was deeply rooted in American consciousness and imagination, beyond just political and economic inequalities. Instead, Baldwin called for a fundamental transformation of American society and identity. He critiqued white America, urging white Americans to confront their own behavior and complicity in racist systems. Controversially, Baldwin advocated for Black Americans to approach white countrymen with love, while still insisting on unconditional freedom, seeing this as necessary for true transformation. He ultimately wanted to build a nation that moved beyond racial categorization, focusing instead on individual humanity. Baldwin viewed racism as stemming from a deeper spiritual problem in America, where individuals and the nation lacked a true sense of identity. While he did not offer simple solutions to racism, Baldwin's penetrating analysis and powerful writing exposed the complexities of racism in our country, challenged both white and Black Americans to confront difficult truths, and provided a framework for understanding racism beyond just political reforms. His work continues to influence discussions on race in America today, aiming not to ameliorate racism in a superficial sense, but to push for a profound reckoning with and transformation of American society and identity in relation to race. Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone is a powerful novel that explores the complexities of race, sexuality, and identity in America through the life of its protagonist, Leo Proud/hammer. As the story begins, Leo, a successful African-American actor, suffers from a heart attack. As he recovers he reflects on his life and relationships. It is also of interest to note how James Baldwin's novel relates to Dr. Matin Luther King Jr.'s non-fiction book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Both books are discussed in terms of the major contributions they made to racism in America as well as how they illustrate psychoanalytic mechanism of defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/psychology

This podcast describes a short history of a man who did something we've lost in America. That man was James Baldwin who insisted on telling the truth. He confronted the harsh realities of racism, believing that exposing its ugliness was necessary for progress. He rejected simplistic solutions, arguing that racism was deeply rooted in American consciousness and imagination, beyond just political and economic inequalities. Instead, Baldwin called for a fundamental transformation of American society and identity. He critiqued white America, urging white Americans to confront their own behavior and complicity in racist systems. Controversially, Baldwin advocated for Black Americans to approach white countrymen with love, while still insisting on unconditional freedom, seeing this as necessary for true transformation. He ultimately wanted to build a nation that moved beyond racial categorization, focusing instead on individual humanity. Baldwin viewed racism as stemming from a deeper spiritual problem in America, where individuals and the nation lacked a true sense of identity. While he did not offer simple solutions to racism, Baldwin's penetrating analysis and powerful writing exposed the complexities of racism in our country, challenged both white and Black Americans to confront difficult truths, and provided a framework for understanding racism beyond just political reforms. His work continues to influence discussions on race in America today, aiming not to ameliorate racism in a superficial sense, but to push for a profound reckoning with and transformation of American society and identity in relation to race. Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone is a powerful novel that explores the complexities of race, sexuality, and identity in America through the life of its protagonist, Leo Proud/hammer. As the story begins, Leo, a successful African-American actor, suffers from a heart attack. As he recovers he reflects on his life and relationships. It is also of interest to note how James Baldwin's novel relates to Dr. Matin Luther King Jr.'s non-fiction book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Both books are discussed in terms of the major contributions they made to racism in America as well as how they illustrate psychoanalytic mechanism of defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/lgbtq-studies

Send us a textThis is our Season 2 finale episode and what a ride it's been! If you have enjoyed the season, please rate the show with 5 stars and leave a review!Ever wondered why the issue of racism hasn't been resolved? Join me, Whitney Knox Lee, on the Impostrix Podcast as I sit down with Will Fullwood, a Black gay man, college professor, and host of Contraband Wagon, to explore this lingering question. But first, let's talk Juneteenth! Freedom Day for Black Americans. Liberation Day. Our equivalent to Independence Day. The day we commemorate when the last enslaved people were freed from slavery, months after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. With insights from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s work, we reflect on the significance of Juneteenth and the ongoing fight for Black liberation and freedom. Our conversation takes a critical look at white supremacy and the collective responsibility in tackling racism. Will shares the evolution of his podcast, Contraband Wagon from a local discussion group to an international platform, focusing on MLK's "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?" We discuss the differing priorities between white liberals and Black communities, as well as the limitations of civil rights institutions. This episode underscores the importance of rethinking societal values around power and wealth and making anti-racism a personal value for meaningful change.And yes, we continue the ongoing conversation on imposter syndrome and race at work and the impact of imposter syndrome and racial toxicity on professionals of color. Through poignant anecdotes and reflections, we address the complexities of navigating racial microaggressions and the nuanced experiences of racial harm in professional settings. We emphasize the critical role of educating people to recognize subtle forms of racism and building collective power. Wrapping up, we highlight the importance of validating spaces and encourage you to join our Facebook group, Impostrix Podcast Validating Space, to continue this vital dialogue. For more information, visit www.impostrixpodcast.com and follow us on Instagram at Impostrix Podcast. Lets work together to honor our ancestors and push for true racial justice.Find Will at theContrabandWagon.com and on YoutubeConnect with Whitney on IG @ImpsotrixPodcast and watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Thanks Chris at DigitalREM.com for editing!I am a creative entrepreneur and want my fully customizable and attorney-created services contract. Sponsor:Smithers Law Group LLC, Your Trusted 360 General Counselwww.stulawgroup.com/contract-bank Wills for the PeopleAdvancing wealth equity through intentional, accessible, culturally responsive and transformative estate planning services and education. Available in Georgia only. www.willsforthepeoplega.cominfo@willsforthepeoplega.comSupport the Show. SUBSCRIBE to the Validating Voice NewsletterSUPPORT Impostrix Podcast

Send us a Text Message.This is our Season 2 finale episode and what a ride it's been! If you have enjoyed the season, please rate the show with 5 stars and leave a review!Ever wondered why the issue of racism hasn't been resolved? Join me, Whitney Knox Lee, on the Impostrix Podcast as I sit down with Will Fullwood, a Black gay man, college professor, and host of Contraband Wagon, to explore this lingering question. But first, let's talk Juneteenth! Freedom Day for Black Americans. Liberation Day. Our equivalent to Independence Day. The day we commemorate when the last enslaved people were freed from slavery, months after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. With insights from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s work, we reflect on the significance of Juneteenth and the ongoing fight for Black liberation and freedom. Our conversation takes a critical look at white supremacy and the collective responsibility in tackling racism. Will shares the evolution of his podcast, Contraband Wagon from a local discussion group to an international platform, focusing on MLK's "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?" We discuss the differing priorities between white liberals and Black communities, as well as the limitations of civil rights institutions. This episode underscores the importance of rethinking societal values around power and wealth and making anti-racism a personal value for meaningful change.And yes, we continue the ongoing conversation on imposter syndrome and race at work and the impact of imposter syndrome and racial toxicity on professionals of color. Through poignant anecdotes and reflections, we address the complexities of navigating racial microaggressions and the nuanced experiences of racial harm in professional settings. We emphasize the critical role of educating people to recognize subtle forms of racism and building collective power. Wrapping up, we highlight the importance of validating spaces and encourage you to join our Facebook group, Impostrix Podcast Validating Space, to continue this vital dialogue. For more information, visit www.impostrixpodcast.com and follow us on Instagram at Impostrix Podcast. Let's work together to honor our ancestors and push for true racial justice.Find Will at theContrabandWagon.com and on YoutubeConnect with Whitney on IG @ImpsotrixPodcast and watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Thanks Chris at DigitalREM.com for editing!Interested in a free discovery call to see how W. Knox Lee Consulting & Mediation could help you achieve your goals? Email the team at info@wknoxlee.com.Support the Show. SUBSCRIBE to the Validating Voice NewsletterSUPPORT Impostrix Podcast

1. Cole's translation of John 12:25 is as follows:“Anyone who maintains their life will lose it, while anyone who comes to the end of themselves in this world of violence and corruption will keep it for the eternal kind of life.”What do you take away from this translated version? What does it mean - in concrete terms - to maintain your life in the sense of this passage as it was taught?What does it mean to “come to the end of yourself?” What might that look and feel like? Have you had experiences that you see as coming to the end of yourself? How easy or hard is it believe that these experiences are gateways to an eternal kind of life?2. Cole shared a quote from Dr. Cornel West: “What the cross is is unarmed truth.”Spend a little time discussing as a group what is meant by the term “unarmed truth.” What is “unarmed truth?” How is it distinct from other things we might call truth? What are its identifying characteristics? Does the West's quote tally with the understanding of the term you've generated as a group? Looking at West's quote as a whole, what is being communicated? What does this powerful statement mean?3. Cole suggested that maybe the obsession Christians seem to have with determining who is “in” and who is “out” isn't about theology, but, instead, is about privilege.What's your experience with that question, who's in and who's out? Have you spent time in a religious community that was particularly interested in it? If so, what do you see as the impact that a focus on that question may have had on that community and your experience of it?To what extent is that a question you still wrestle with? How often does it surface in your mind, either in regards to someone else or to yourself?What do you make of Cole's suggestion that persistence in answering this question might be about privilege? What surfaces for you in response to that statement?If this is a question that takes up significant space in your mind, how would you feel about surrendering it and ceasing to engage in the question? What comes up for you if you consider simply never trying to answer that question again?4. Cole also shared an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King's “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community.”“We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together. And you can't get rid of one without getting rid of the other.“Jesus confronted this problem of the interrelatedness of evil one day, or rather it was one night. A big-shot came to him and he asked Jesus a question, what shall I do to be saved?“Jesus didn't get bogged down in a specific evil. He looked at Nicodemus, and he didn't say now Nicodemus you must not drink liquor. He didn't say, Nicodemus you must not commit adultery. He didn't say Nicodemus you must not lie. He didn't say Nicodemus you must not steal. He said, Nicodemus you must be born again. In other words Nicodemus, the whole structure of your life must be changed. Now that is what we are dealing with in America. Somebody must say to America, America if you have contempt for life, if you exploit human beings by seeing them as less than human, if you will treat human beings as a means to an end, you thingafy those human beings. And if you will thingafy persons, you will exploit them economically, and if you will exploit persons economically, you will abuse your military power to protect your economic investments and your economic exploitations. So what America must be told today is that she must be born again. The whole structure of American life must be changed.”After reading the excerpt, Cole posed a rhetorical question: “Is this a call for every Christian to be a Civil Rights activist?”Well, what do you think? Is it? Discuss as a group.

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, January 16, 2023, we pay tribute to Dr. King by discussing his historical legacy and constitutional and moral philosophy through his key writings, speeches, and intellectual and moral inspirations and influences. Guests Christopher Brooks, professor of history at East Stroudsburg University, and Hasan Kwame Jeffries, associate professor of history at Ohio State University, discuss some of Dr. King's most seminal writings and speeches and talk about the key texts, ideas, and writers that influenced Dr. King's life and work, from Christianity and the Bible, to civil rights figures like Howard Thurmond. Host Jeffrey Rosen moderates.  Read and listen to the primary texts discussed:  Dr. Martin Luther King, “Address Before the New York State Civil War Centennial Commission,” Sept. 12, 1962 (Video | Transcript | Draft) Dr. Martin Luther King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King, “I Have a Dream” speech, August 28, 1963  Dr. Martin Luther King, “Beyond Vietnam – A Time to Break Silence,” April 4, 1967  Dr. Martin Luther King, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community (1967)  Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org. Continue today's conversation on Facebook and Twitter using @ConstitutionCtr. Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate, at bit.ly/constitutionweekly. You can find transcripts for each episode on the podcast pages in our Media Library.

Listen in to the sermon from the Rev. David Potter for the Last Sunday of Easter, May 29, 2022.Support the worship and ministry of St. Martin's by giving online: stmartinec.org/giveToday's readings are:Acts 16:16-34Revelation 22:12-14,16-17,20-21John 17:20-26Psalm 97Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net: https://lectionarypage.net/Where do we go from here? The Rev. David Potter May 29, 2022 On this Ascension Sunday, we commemorate the earthly departure of Jesus with these words. And through them, the Church is called to unity. This prayer Jesus offers anticipates and responds to a question which will no doubt later surface for Jesus' followers: "Where do we go from here?" Throughout this past week, this same question has continually rumbled around in my own thoughts and prayers. And after completing seminary just last weekend, it is especially relevant. For myself and any others in this graduation season, what comes next is often a question posed to us--just as much as it is a question and discern we ask of ourselves. And surely this same wondering is present here in this community at St. Martin-in the-Fields. Uncertainty is inherent in any search process for new clergy, to say the least. But, still even more widely, in light of over two years of pandemic concerns and restrictions, especially now as they begin to ease, this question seemingly lingers everywhere. Where do we go from here? We are in transition. A world lies behind us which is no more--and the world before us remains unknown. Now, living through these times of change like these is far from easy. At times it may even feel like simply too much. The tension between what has been and what will be can feel like chaos. And in this place, I often find myself searching for some reassurance of stability--for some anchor to hold on. So, for those carrying burdens here in this place this morning, receive this as permission to come as you are. In these brief moments, may we all know and may we remind ourselves that we hold these burdens with and for one another. "That they all may be one." In a moment of tremendous transition, Jesus prays these words. In the remaining instruction of his earthly ministry, his desire for the disciples, for his followers, becomes abundantly clear: that they know they are loved, that they love one another, and that through them the world might come to know love. Soon the disciples will no longer have Jesus with them--and they will face many challenges and much unknown. And it is in this context with great obstacles to loving one another, that Jesus admonishes his followers toward unity. This kind of unity is a discipline to which he knows they will need to return over and over again--because apart from a resilient commitment to one another, the heavy burdens they carry will simply be too much to bear. This kind of unity is no simple feel-good-warm-and-fuzzy feeling. And neither is it a demand for uniformity within the disciples. Rather, what Jesus calls them to, and calls the church to, is something essential to both their individual and their common wellbeing. Now, I admit, in these polarizing times, my initial impulse is not always toward becoming "completely one" with those I disagree with. Perhaps this is something you can relate to. Because cultivating unity across the broad chasms of ideological and political difference can often seem futile and quite naive. And when great potential for harm exists by remaining in relationship with others, especially with others who may not affirm our right to exist, appealing to unity can be quite dangerous. In this past week, yet another mass shooting has claimed the lives of innocent children. This time at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas--merely weeks after the deadly and racist shootings in Detroit and Buffalo. But in the numbing wake of senseless death and overwhelming grief, there are simply no adequate words... Where do we go from here? Unity is risky business. There is much at stake in all that divides us, and there is certainly no lack of issues that divide our society. As this all-too-common occurrence of gun violence becomes ever more increasingly politicized--it seems a deep groaning in my spirit is about all I can muster. A phrase from the poet Nayyirah Waheed reminds me though that it is important to "keep the rage tender." Stay tender in the sorrow, grief, and anger--because when God's image in persons is destroyed, becoming desensitized is spiritual death. The human tenderness required for unity is no easy task--and it would seem there are always obstacles and reasons to turn away from one another. But as James Baldwin writes, "One cannot deny the humanity of another without diminishing one's own." We need one another. In these greatly divided times uplifting the value of remaining in right-relationship with one another is neither easy nor is it very popular. And yet... the Gospel of Jesus Christ invites all persons into common kinship. We must remain tender, somehow or some way... We don't take on this task alone, though. While remaining in community with one another, walking hand in hand, we walk also with those who have gone before us. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. engages our present predicament in his seminal work entitled: Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Two options are present before us. As we midwife this new world and new ways of being, we can either 1) become community or we can 2) descend into chaos. Dr. King offered this still-relevant diagnosis and prescription of our situation in 1967. Either we learn to love one another with shared dignity and belonging, or we will unravel in competitive attempts to preserve an ever-increasing scarcity of individual privileges and liberties. This same wisdom is shared by artists and prophets, visionaries and activists alike--along with anyone who has labored toward a vision of collective flourishing. And we know something in our tradition too: week after week in our liturgy we pray "Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours..." All of human life is interwoven in a web of mutuality. The ability to know and have life in abundance ourselves is interdependent on each and every person's ability. If healing, wholeness, and joy are to be made complete in our lives, we must recognize it is inseparable from that of our neighbors. So, in this rising tide of polarization--of social transition and civic tension--where do we go from here? "Righteous Father," Jesus prays, "the world does not know you, but I know you... I made your name known to them, and I will make it known..." Guided by the upside-down logic of our common faith, we hold these claims: that enemies cannot be destroyed--but only transformed by love... that liberty preserved at the end of a gun's barrel is a false freedom... that salvation comes not by instruments of death--but through their subversion... When Jesus admonishes his followers toward common belonging like that love that is shared within the Trinity, he holds no illusions of calm, ideal circumstances. Rather, it is within the midst of many obstacles--and his appeal to unity is made on a foundation of a radical ethic of love - love for one's self, for one's neighbor, for God. Because it is only through deep abiding love that we can remain in relationship and become community. As we grasp for stability, it is this common faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is and will be our anchor. So Beloveds, when we inevitably fail to dwell together in unity; when the yoke of faith feels anything but easy and light; when we are wearied and heavy laden: Know that we do not walk alone. Even in our weakness the Spirit of God, with sighs too deep for words, intercedes on our behalf, leading us into the way of salvation. So then, that we might become "completely one:" may our shared mourning and action and prayer through the Spirit empower us to become beloved community, and participate in the healing and salvation of this nation. Amen. Permission to podcast/stream music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-701187 and CCLI with license #21234241 and #21234234. All rights reserved.Video, photographs, and graphics by the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Episcopal Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, 8000 St. Martin's Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. 215.247.7466. https://www.stmartinec.org

As CivitasLA honors the legacy of the late Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are reminded of words from his last book, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” First, the line of progress is never straight. For a period a movement may follow a straight line and then it encounters obstacles and the path bends. It is like curving around a mountain when you are approaching a city. Often it feels as though you are moving backward, and you lose sight of your goal; but in fact you are moving ahead, and soon you will see the city again, closer by.” Join us for a conversation with Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, another distinguished alum of Morehouse College, who shares perspectives on this legacy and reflects on where Black Los Angeles is as a community, challenges and opportunities, and its impact on the culture. To learn more and get involved, please visit: www.mhdcd8.com and you can also hear the Councilmember on ‘MHD Off The Record' at www.open.spotify.com. For more information, please visit www.CivitasLA.com and we hope you'll rate and review our show; and connect with us on Facebook (@CivitasLA), Instagram (@Civitas_LA) and Twitter (@Civitas_LA).

In today's episode, we sit down with Paster Keith Jossell. In the wake of all the public cases of legal and codified injustice (Julius remaining in prison, Rittenhouse acquittal, the despicable remarks made about Ahmaud Arbery by the McMichaels Defense Team, etc), where do we go from here? So many are distraught. So many are disillusioned. Can we ever get to the place that Dr. King wrote about in the last book, "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community"? Pastor Keith is a Justice seeker, connecting to the hope in marginalized people, to inspire the transformation of personal identities, families, and communities. Keith is the National Prayer Forum Director for the Justice for Julius Coalition and the Spiritual Advisor for innocent and now reclassified death row inmate Julius Darius Jones. Keith is also an Associate Minister at Fifth Street Missionary Baptist Church, the Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Odyssey Leadership Academy, and is a current theologue at Phillips Theological Seminary.Pastor Keith's Instagram: @keith.jossell  @justiceforjuliusSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/AMERIKANTHERAPY)

This week on the podcast we* read the first three chapters of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?" I'll be back in two weeks with the next two chapters. *Marlowe, my cat, pipes up quite a bit. Keep reading!

Join us for this bonus episode where Mom and I delve into King's legacy of freedom fighting, and his last book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?  written in Jamaica (1967) away from the pressures of the civil rights movement.  Given all we are facing in the U.S., and around the world, we couldn't think of a better moment to release this bonus episode (originally recorded in January of this year).  We discuss King's first essay, "Where Are We?" Here he wrestles  with key questions we must all continually ask ourselves: Are we in this movement of liberation and revolutionary love for the long haul, or are we satisfied with surface-level reforms? King reflects on those who supported The Civil Rights Act (1964) and The Voting Rights Act (1965), but unwilling to stay the course for Phase 2,  ending vast inequality (economically, socially, etc.). Mom and I discuss the relevancy of King's essay from the Reconstruction period to Black Lives Matter movement and our calls for collective liberation and radically reimagining what is possible.  Resources for Further Study: - Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?  Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  - Sit with these scripture: "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8-9 and "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40)  - From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation, by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a brilliant man who tried to love America into living up to its creed and to its grand ideals. A lot has been said and written about Dr. King, yet there is still so much to be said, because there are so many ways to look at what he did, what he said, and how he processed the world around him. Today, we are fighting the same struggles with which he wrestled. Here is one of my takes on Dr. King. A Few Resources: Beyond Vietnam—A Time to Break Silence speech at Riverside Church in New York, April 4, 1967 https://americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm Stanford University: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute (online) https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/ There is a treasure trove of information at this site, the repository for the King papers. Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community, by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1967) In the Spirit of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bessemer Workers Fight for Justice. https://www.workers.org/2021/03/55465/ When Muhammad Ali Refused to go to Vietnam: Muhammad Ali and Vietnam. https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/06/muhammad-ali-vietnam/485717/ Short video on Muhammad Ali (“You my enemy.” https://youtu.be/HeFMyrWlZ68) FBI 'Honors' Martin Luther King Jr., 50 Years After Plotting to 'Neutralize' him. https://www.alternet.org/2017/01/fbi-honors-martin-luther-king-jr-50-years-after-plotting-neutralize-him/ How the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers' Strike Expanded the Civil Rights Struggle: https://www.history.com/news/sanitation-workers-strike-memphis --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rhonda-sherrod4/message

Drew Hart discusses Chapter One of Martin Luther King Jr's final book "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?" with Lisa Sharon Harper for Freedom Road. This conversation was recorded on MLK Day 2021 in front of a live audience via Zoom and Facebook. For more information on this book club please go to https://freedomroad.us/downloads/national-book-study-where-do-we-go-from-here-by-rev-dr-martin-luther-king/ Follow Lisa Sharon Harper on Instagram and Twitter @lisasharper. Follow Drew Hart on Instagram and Twitter @druhart. Follow Jarrod McKenna on Instagram and Twitter @jarrodmckenna.

Drew Hart discusses Chapter One of Martin Luther King Jr's final book "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?" with Lisa Sharon Harper for Freedom Road. This conversation was recorded on MLK Day 2021 in front of a live audience via Zoom and Facebook. For more information on this book club please go to https://freedomroad.us/downloads/national-book-study-where-do-we-go-from-here-by-rev-dr-martin-luther-king/ Follow Lisa Sharon Harper on Instagram and Twitter @lisasharper. Follow Drew Hart on Instagram and Twitter @druhart. Follow Jarrod McKenna on Instagram and Twitter @jarrodmckenna.

Today's Patreon-fueled shout-out is for the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Campaign, an initiative that wants you to grow native plants in yards, farms, public spaces and gardens in the northern Piedmont. Native plants provide habitat, food sources for wildlife, ecosystem resiliency in the face of climate change, and clean water.  Start at the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Facebook page and tell them Lonnie Murray sent you! On today’s program:The pandemic continues as Virginia’s total case count exceeds 400,000A Charlottesville School Board seeks one of two Democratic nominations for City CouncilThe University of Virginia prepares for many events to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. *The race for two seats on the Charlottesville City Council began today with the first candidate to announce a run.“My name is Juandiego Wade and it is my honor to announce my candidacy for Charlottesville City Council,” Wade said. Wade has been a member of the School Board since 2006, the first year there were elections for those positions. He’s won re-election three times since. Juandiego Wade made his announcement in a Facebook Live video with his wife and daughter at his side“I know the greatness that Charlottesville possesses, the greatness of its citizens, its staff, its organizations,” Wade said. He’s been an Albemarle County employee for thirty years and has served as the co-chair of the Community Working Group put together by University of Virginia President Jim Ryan.“I believe to have demonstrated leadership and knowledge of local government which will allow me to hit the ground running,” Wade said.So far, Wade is the only challenger to announce, though Mayor Nikuyah Walker announced last February she would seek a separate term. However, Walker is an independent whereas Wade is seeking one of two Democratic nominations in the June 8 primary. After the announcement, Wade took questions from reporters. The first from Nolan Stout of the Daily Progress asked what issues Wade wanted to discuss during the campaign.“My platform, my areas would be criminal justice reform, I’d like to see how that could reimagined and I think that we can do that if we work together as a community,” Wade said. “Affordable and workforce housing, public education, and the economy and I feel like with those areas I’m experienced in particular with education, and the economy as a career counselor working with the local shops and business owners for the last ten years in my current capacity with the county.”Wade’s discussion with reporters was happening at the same time City Council continued to meet in closed session to discuss hiring a new city manager. A search firm is no longer working on behalf of the city to identify applicants. Wade didn’t want to directly address what Council should do, but did say that as a School Board member, he has worked closely with Superintendent Rosa Atkins, who has been in her position since July 2006. “When you get a good leader, you have to support them and that’s something that I’m used to and that I understand,” Wade said. “Not that you don’t challenge your leaders with questions and ideas from time to time, but it has to be a team mentality.”From that perspective, Wade said he understood what Council is experiencing. “Governing, leading under the best of circumstances is a really difficult job and we’re not in a perfect situation now,” Wade said. “I can imagine the leaders, the current leaders of Charlottesville, they have some difficult decisions to make.” He said his time as an elected official in Charlottesville has prepared him to make choices when the time comes. “Over the years, on the School Board for the last 16 years, we have made some really difficult decisions and it got pretty heated and we got pretty short with each other but that’s part of it,” Wade said. “We get into this field to make those difficult decisions and that’s why we were elected to do that.” Aside from calls to closed session, Council has not had a meeting yet this year and skipped one scheduled for January 4. They will meet tomorrow as part of a joint meeting with the Planning Commission. They had been originally been scheduled to discuss the Capital Improvement Program for next Fiscal Year, but that has been postponed to February. One big ticket item for consideration by the current or a future Council is whether to move forward with at least $50 million to reconfigure schools for 5th through 8th grade. This next comment comes from Wade the School Board member who has to vote on a budget request to send to Council.“We will need to look at the budget just like in every year,” Wade said. “We have a great relationship with the city government working with public works and the City Manager’s office to move forward because they know just like we do that when we have great schools and modern schools that that is a plus for the city. That that is going to draw businesses and residents in and so I know that they want to do it.”So far, Wade is the only announced challenger. He said he would wait to see who else seeks the Democratic nomination. “Until we get two nominees, I just want to talk about my vision and listen and I think that I can do that I will hopefully be one of the seats come next November that will be able to serve the city,” Wade said. Bekah Saxon, the co-chair of the Charlottesville Democratic Committee, said the current plan is for local Democrats to select nominees in the June 8 primary.“We are excited to see how the candidates emerge and are committed to making sure voters are able to learn about the entire slate of candidates in the Democratic primary in the months leading up to the primary,” Saxon said in a message to me this morning. Local election campaigns are often community events where people gather together. For at least the first part of this race, things will be a little different. I asked Juandiego Wade to talk about how the pandemic will affect the race. “You know, Charlottesville is all about relationships and some of those things that that a candidate can really do well on is having those meet and greets in people’s neighbors’ living rooms and kitchens and things like that,” Wade said. “I don’t think that may be possible this time around but what I do imagine is that maybe meeting as the weather warms up in someone’s backyard, or a big area where people can spread out and we can talk. But certainly Zoom will be part of that for this campaign. If there are public forums people want to come to, that it just may have to be socially distanced when people meet.” Some other information on the candidate. Wade is a native of Richmond, graduated from Norfolk State University in 1988 and the University of Virginia in 1990. In 2019, the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce honored him with the Paul Goodloe McIntire Award. According to his campaign website, he has been married to Claudette Grant since 1993 and then have one daughter who attends James Madison University. *The seven-day average for new COVID cases reported each day by the Virginia Department of Health is now at 5,121, with 4,530 reported today. The cumulative total for cases since March has now climbed over 400,000 and there have been nearly 5,400 deaths. The percent positivity is 16.7 percent. The seven-day average for new cases per 100,000 population is 60.1 today. That metric is known as the incidence rate and it has been rising steadily since November. In the Blue Ridge Health District, the seven-day average for new daily cases is 149, with 126 reported today. There has not been a new fatality reported in a week and the total count remains at 97. Source: Blue Ridge Health District*Next Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and several in the community are marking the occasion with panels, lectures, and a community read. Last week, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors adopted a proclamation marking the county’s appreciation of the slain leader. “I think too many Americans when they think of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and they think of Martin Luther King they think of that as a Black holiday,” said Supervisor Donna Price of the Scottsville District. “Dr. King did nothing but profess and proclaim and protest equal rights for everyone. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a holiday for all Americans because what he preached and what he lived and died for was that all of us would be able to achieve and enjoy the benefits of living in this country.”Meghan Faulkner is the chief of staff in the Division for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at UVA. She has coordinated UVA’s Celebration of MLK for the past 11 years. Like so many things, this year’s series is a little different. “We have about 15 events which will all be virtual and open to the public of course free of charge,” Faulkner said. “They begin on January 14 and they will run through the end of the month.” A full list can be found here. The overall theme for the series is Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? That’s based on a 1967 book written by Dr. King. “We are doing a community read of the book and we’ve been distributing copies, free copies, 500 copies, throughout the community at various spots,” Faulkner said. A panel discussion will be held on January 25. “We’ll also have best-selling author Austin Channing Brown on January 20 to give a virtual talk on her book I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness,” Faulkner said. “And Dr. Virgil Wood, an Albemarle native, who will discuss his book In Love We Still Trust: Lessons We Learned from Martin Luther King Jr. and Sr. That will be on January 25 and he will share his experience attending Hillsboro School in Crozet, Virginia and the Albemarle Training Center in Charlottesville so that should be a very interesting talk.” Faulkner said a new activity this year will be financial investments in several non-profits. These include African American Teaching Fellows, City of Promise, Legal Aid Justice Center, Loaves and Fishes, and the Piedmont Housing Alliance. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Today's Patreon-fueled shout-out is for the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Campaign, an initiative that wants you to grow native plants in yards, farms, public spaces and gardens in the northern Piedmont. Native plants provide habitat, food sources for wildlife, ecosystem resiliency in the face of climate change, and clean water.  Start at the Plant Northern Piedmont Natives Facebook page and tell them Lonnie Murray sent you! On today’s show:City Council suspends search for a new city manager Three Georgia men have been arrested in connection with a shooting yesterdayAlbemarle’s design review panel briefed on restoration of several “entrance corridors”Details on two “community reads” currently being assisted by the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library The Virginia Department of Health is reporting another 4,377 cases of COVID-19 today, and reports another 59 deaths. The percent positivity rating has risen to 16.2 percent, up from 12.2 percent a week ago. In the Blue Ridge Health District there are another 55 cases and one more death, bringing the total COVID-related fatalities in the district to 97 since March. Yesterday the Blue Ridge Health District posted a video that showed the inside of the temporary structure that has been erected in the former KMart parking lot. The structure will be the location of mass vaccinations beginning tomorrow. Blue Ridge Health District spokeswoman Kathryn Goodman said in an email this morning Emergency Medical Services personnel, Region 10 residential facility staff and dialysis center staff will be the first to receive doses as part of Phase1A of the vaccine roll-out. Meanwhile, many health care workers at the University of Virginia and Sentara Martha Jefferson hospitals have received their second doses. Source: Virginia Department of Health*Charlottesville Police have arrested three men from Columbus, Georgia and charged them with several felonies related to a shooting on Emmet Street yesterday. According to a release, a 21-year-old resident of Fluvanna County was shot and is in stable condition at the University of Virginia Hospital. The suspects were apprehended by the Albemarle County Police Department and being held in the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail pending a bond hearing. *Charlottesville City Council has suspended its search for a new city manager to replace Dr. Tarron Richardson, who resigned last September. "Council has decided to pause working with a search firm for the City Manager recruitment and is evaluating next steps to stabilize the organization over the next 12-24 months,” reads a statement from Council sent to the Daily Progress yesterday by Councilor Heather Hill. “We anticipate providing additional information to the public in advance of our next regular meeting on January 19th."  In a Facebook post, City Councilor Lloyd Snook said the city had interviewed five search firms in October and selected Ralph Andersen and Associates in part because one of that company’s officials had made a statement that “it is going to take a special kind of person to want to come to Charlottesville at the moment.”  That official was Robert Burg, the company’s vice president.  According to Snook, Burg had a virtual meeting with city staff on December 4. A story in the Daily Progress today based on a Freedom of Information Act request from Tanesha Hudson quotes an email from Police Chief RaShall Brackney in which she described Burg as “unprofessional.” In his post, Snook said that Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker had disagreed with the hiring of Ralph Andersen and Associates. He quoted a December 10 email from Walker in which she said she would not meet one-on-one with Burg, but only as an entire Council. In the email, she said she did not think the firm was interested in hearing her point of view. “I explained to you all in the summer that I believed that it would be extremely challenging to select a city manager with this current council and that I had hoped that things would have worked out with the previous city manager,” Walker said in that email. Walker’s first four-year term is up later this year, as is the first four-year term of Councilor Heather Hill. In 2017, Walker was the first independent candidate elected to Council since 1948, and she announced last February she would seek another term. In his Facebook post, Snook said Burg told that he had never seen this level of dysfunction before and that it would be difficult to hire a manager at this time.“In my opinion, we will not be able to hire a permanent City Manager until after the next election, in November, 2021, and we should not try,” Snook wrote. Council has now had four managers since the contract of Maurice Jones was not renewed in 2018. Deputy City Manager Mike Murphy served as interim until May 2019, when Richardson took over. City attorney John Blair is serving as interim manager.  Council also recently suspended its strategic plan process. They are next scheduled to meet on January 12 in a joint meeting with the Planning Commission. That meeting will be on the Capital Improvement Program. So far, no candidates for Council have filed paperwork, according to an email received this morning from City Registrar Melissa Morton. *Albemarle County might soon pursue scenic and historic designations for roadways that until recently have been under the jurisdiction of the Architectural Review Board. The ARB reviews projects within what are known as Entrance Corridors, but several roads such as Route 6 do not qualify because the Virginia Department of Transportation does not classify them as “arterial” roadways. Margaret Maliszewski is an Albemarle County Planning Manager.“For four of the non-arterial streets, we are recommending that they be upgraded to arterial status,” Maliszewski said. “They include the full length of Avon Street Extended, Barracks Road from the city limits to Georgetown Road, Thomas Jefferson Parkway or Route 53 for the full length, and Richmond Road from Route 22 to the County.”Maliszewski said staff is also recommending restoring a county-level scenic or historic designation for several other streets such as the rest of Barracks Road, Route 6 and Route 22. Other roads could become Scenic By-Ways, a designation granted by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.  The Board of Supervisors will be presented with the information at their meeting on February 3. “If the Board wants us to start to consider the county scenic highway and the historic designation that is a multi-step process that would have public hearings and we’re not ready to jump into that yet. Really what we’re asking for in February is whether they want us to start pursuing it.”ARB Member Frank Stoner said he wasn’t sure that all of the entrance corridor designations needed to be restored.“Some of these corridors don’t really have any commercial development on them and I just wonder whether it’s worth the effort to pursue this designation,” Stoner said. “I don’t exactly know what’s involved once you get into VDOT.” Stoner said he was most concerned about restoring ARB’s jurisdiction over Avon Street Extended, which he said was not a major arterial. “And it’s a road that already has a fairly industrial character and so I worry that there aren’t many places anymore in the county where you can actually build something akin to a warehouse or a purely functional structure and Avon already serves that purpose,” Stoner said. *The year is still relatively new and there’s still time to pick up the habit of reading a book. If you’d like to read along with several hundred other area residents, the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library has the book for you as part of their Same Page program. “So this year for 2021 our Same Page pick is Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson,” said Abby Cox, a reference librarian with JMRL. “This is the same book we picked for last year but Same Page takes place during March so as you can imagine, most of our book groups did not get to meet last year to discuss the book and we weren’t able to bring her in person because of the pandemic.”Cox said Brown Girl Dreaming is a memoir in poetry of Woodson’s childhood in South Carolina and New York in the late 60’s. And this year’s programs will also be virtual due to the continuing nature of the pandemic. JMRL has adapted. “We have pivoted a lot of our programming to virtual programming so we’ve been having book groups meet through Zoom where people can also call into participate so that’s really how this is going to look for our Same Page programming,” Cox said. Woodson will be on one of the sessions on March 17 at 7 p.m. as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book, which will be entirely virtual this year. The “community read” is under the Same Page program, which is funded by the Friends of the Library group in partnership with the Virginia Festival of the Book. It used to be called the Big Read and was paid for through a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts. The University of Virginia’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are also doing a “community read” in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Their book for 2021 is Dr. King’s 1967 work Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community. A panel discussion for that will be held on January 25 at 6 p.m. (details)“One of the things that is so great about a Community Read is it gives people to have conversations with neighbors or members of the community that they may not otherwise be in dialogue with,” Cox said. Copies of both Brown Girl Dreaming and Where Do We Go From Here are available to be checked out from JMRL branches. Are you going to read it? If so, let me know. Let’s have some dialog!Details on the Same Page program are on the JMRL website*Today in meetings, the Charlottesville Tree Commission meets at 5 p.m. They’ll discuss their annual report to Council and hear a report from the city’s arborist. (agenda) This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Bishop Swan discusses the question from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s last book "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?"

If you haven't watched the YouTube video https://YouTube.be/ELQ1hAjMFmk you should really take 10 seconds to watch it. It's really what we are talking about in a progressive society. This Apolitic episode focuses on the point that we cannot enjoy a truly progressive society until all people of all races, colors, national origins can have the freedom to work together, live together in the same neighborhoods, and our children go to the same schools. What we are not talking about is everybody living in identical homes and identical looking homes, but that our communities consist of a mixture of options. Not everyone wants the same things. Some people choose a simpler lifestyle and some choose more grand. We can't all afford to live in a mansion on the top of a hill—not many can. But that's Ok. The point is that nothing in our community should be below a certain level of decency. No family or individual should feel ashamed of their situation. The progressive view of society is that racial and economic justice should promote integration of the the people—segregation should not be tolerated. Edddie Glaude Jr. wrote about this in his book ‘Democracy In Black: How Race Still Enslaves The American Soul' (2017) where he notes “In his last book, ‘Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?', Martin Luther King Jr. argued, among other things, that white supremacy stood in the way of democracy in this country, that it was an ever-present force in America frustrating the dreams of the nation's darker citizens and undermining any pretense to racial justice. He wrote: “Negroes have proceeded from the premise that equality means what it says, and they have taken white Americans at their word when they talked of it as an objective. But most whites in America...proceed from a premise that equality is a ‘loose expression for empowerment.' White America is not even psychologically organized to close /the gap—essentially it seeks only to make it (equality) less painful and less obvious but in most respects to retain it (power and privilege).” Steve ends the episode by coining the term “social vaccine” in which perhaps the young people can finally eliminate the racial, sexual and class distinctions in our society. One can HOPE. In the mean time Register to Vote! Vote!!! The deadline in Ohio to register for the November 3, 2020 election is October 5. Early voting starts October 6, C U THERE! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/friday13/support

Michael Imhotep host of The African History Network Show on 910AM Superstation WFDF Detroit on 5-31-20 discussed, "George Floyd & The Virus of Racism; Donald Trump, Fear of the Browning of America". Special guest, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist of Michigan gave an update on the Coronavirus Taskforce and had special words pertaining to George Floyd.  African American protesters are telling White people to stop destroying property.  You are not helping.  Also discussed are Economic Boycotts, Dr. King's last book, “Where Do We Go From Here Chaos or Community”.   We continued our analysis of Joe Biden's Policies for Black America, Part 3 "Ending Health Disparities"   Donate to The African History Network through Cash App @ https://cash.app/$TheAHNShow or PayPal @ TheAHNShow@gmail.com or http://www.PayPal.me/TheAHNShow or visit http://www.AfricanHistoryNetwork.com and click on the yellow “Donate” button.

Whats up beautiful people! This episode is a quilted menagerie of brain tidbits and mind morsels. We begin by journeying back to 1967 for an iconic speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community. This is not the speech you heard in school. Dr. King speaks frankly and powerfully about class struggle and the need to radically restructure American society, including redistribution of wealth.Following the speech we take a look at Lebanese-American writer and visual artist Khalil Gibran, and then go for a visit with the founder of Portland Peppermills, Jonathan Glowacki, for a conversation about framing one's own subconscious architecture for optimum manifestation efficiency. Check out Jonathan's hand-crafted wooden globes at: www.turning-time.com.Finishing off the ep is a tidy lil ramble by yours truly regarding fractal electro-magnetic complexity. The book I couldn't think of in my convo with Jonathan is: The Fifth Mountain by Paolo Coelho.Enjoy the episode and please spread the word about the BNP! And remember: 5 star ratings earn you merit badges in the Afterlife. Insta: conantannerYouTube: Barbarian RunecastsFB: Barbarian Noetics with Conan TannerTRACK LIST FOR THIS EPISODEDykotomi - Corvid Crunk (Official Intro Track for the BNP)Chillhop Essentials - Summer 2019 (Mixtape)Baby Mammoth - Baroque and RollSigur Ros - HoppipollaChillhop and Lo-Fi - Hibernation (Mixtape)Ulla Pirttijärvi - Cry of the WolvesM83 - StarwavesCuddled Up Lo-Fi ChillBaby Mammoth - 100% PolyesterSupport the show (http://www.patreon.com/noetics)

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s fourth book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community (00:57), including our reactions to concepts he discussed such as racism being a dominant ideology in America and the backlash that follows progress (07:13). We also discuss what we saw in Dr. King's analysis on the effect centuries of racism has had on blacks and on whites (28:43) and a couple of Dr. King's thoughts on things we need to get to a better place (47:20).

This is one of those episodes I want to put the hard sell on. It’s one of the most important conversations I’ve had on the show. The fact that it left me feeling better about the world rather than worse — that was shocking. Varshini Prakash is co-founder and executive director of the Sunrise Movement. Sunrise is part of a new generation of youth-led climate-change movements that emerged out of the failure of the global political system to address the climate crisis. They’re the ones who made the Green New Deal a litmus test for 2020. They’re the reason there might be a climate debate. They’re the reason candidates’ climate plans have gotten so much more ambitious. Behind these movements is the experience of coming of age in the era of climate crisis and the new approach to organizing birthed by that trauma. We also talk about Sunrise’s theory of organizing, why it’s a mistake to say you’re saving the planet when you’re saving humanity, Sunrise’s motto “no permanent friends, no permanent enemies,” the joys of organizing in the face of terrible odds, and, unexpectedly, the Tao Te Ching. This is a conversation about climate change and about political organizing, but it’s also about finding agency amid despair. Don’t miss it. Book recommendations: Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King Jr. This Is an Uprising  by Mark Engler and Paul Engler Tao Te Ching by Laozi  ******************************************************* The Ezra Klein Show has been nominated for best Society- culture podcast in this year’s People’s Choice Podcast Awards! Cast your vote for The Ezra Klein Show at https://www.podcastawards.com/app/signup before July 31st. One vote per category. Please send guest suggestions for our upcoming series on climate change to ezrakleinshow@vox.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*There are a ton of juicy resources! Make sure to scroll down to the end! In this episode, we’re featuring three guests and discussing the following topics. *Our participation in the Nobel Peace Prize Forum at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota. *Robyn shares her story of meeting Maya Soetoro-Ng, Director of the Matsunaga Peace Institute at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, founder of Ceeds of Peace; and President Barack Obama’s sister! *We introduce you to three Activists who discuss their journeys with peace, activism and spiritual healing. *Our paths to studying and teaching peace with Robyn receiving the “Newcomer Mediator of the Year” Award from the Center of Conflict Resolutions Chicago and Keme receiving the “First Decade Award” from Augsburg College, her alma mater. Featured Guests: *Penelope Summers, M.A., Energy Therapist Interview begins @ 16:19 sec. *Ricardo Levins Morales, Artist and Activist   Interview begins @ 32:19 sec. *Andrew Williams, Executive Director of Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA) Interview begins @ 56:09 sec. Our guests discuss a range of issues with us. Women’s impact on peace The Greensboro 4, lunch counter sit-ins and the civil rights movement. Dr. Martin Luther King vs. Malcolm X Women's suffrage and black women being excluded from the movement. A white woman’s understanding of bell hooks, feminism and intersectionality. MP150 Police Review, A People’s Project Evaluating Policing   The history of police departments and its relationship to slavery and white supremacy in the U.S. How the paths to inclusivity and healing needs truth, justice and reconciliation. How art facilitates healing and builds self esteem. The paradox of Colin Kaepernick and Nike’s relationship with cheap labor in South Asia. How to live social justice. How to get involved in activism despite feelings of despair and being overwhelmed. Spirituality and activism Why compassion and love are important in activism and social justice work. Guests’ Bios: *Penelope Summers, M.A., Energy Therapist Penelope holds an M.A. in Writing and a dual M.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies and International Administration and Conflict Management. She’s an Energy Therapist which includes working as an Intuitive, Medium, Reiki Master and EFT Practitioner. You can find her on Instagram at @ask._penny, Twitter: @summers_p and Facebook @ Penelope Jane.  You can make an appointment with her via email at summerspenelope790@gmail.com.  She offers her services at Eclipse in Roswell on Fridays. Their number is 678-682-8624 eclipsenewage.com. *Ricardo Levins Morales, Artist and Activist   “Ricardo Levins Morales describes himself as a “healer and trickster organizer disguised as an artist.” He was born into the anti-colonial movement in his native Puerto Rico and was drawn into activism in Chicago when his family moved there in 1967. He left high school early and worked in various industries, and over time began to use his art as part of his activism. This activism has included support work for the Black Panthers and Young Lords to participating in or acting in solidarity with farmers, environmental, labor, racial justice and peace movements. Increasingly he has come to see his art and organizing practices as means to address individual, collective and historical trauma. He co-leads workshops on trauma and resilience for organizers as well as trainings on creative organizing, social justice strategy and sustainable activism, and mentors and supports young activists. His art has won numerous awards but the greatest affirmation is the uses to which is has been put by grassroots movements and communities.” RLM Art Studio, 3260 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis, MN, 55406. Phone: 612-455-2242. rlmartstudio.com. *Andrew Williams, Executive Director of Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA) “Andrew Williams, Executive Director (HECUA) has over 25 years of experience in higher education as a teacher, mentor, academic advisor, and administrative leader. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana and raised within a working-class African-American family, Williams was a first-generation college student. His upbringing and academic experiences sparked his intellectual curiosity in social difference, political resistance and human inequality. Recruited to play basketball, Andrew matriculated to Earlham College where his experiences and exposure to Quaker values sparked his sociological imagination and passion for social justice. Andrew eventually left the basketball team while serving as captain in protest over Earlham’s investments in corporations doing business in South Africa and joined leaders of the campus divestment movement. For Andrew, this was the beginning of a deep and sustained exploration of African and African Diaspora cultures and politics, engaged scholarship, and political activism. Throughout his career, Williams has worked to balance and link research, teaching, and political engagement on issues of interculturality, educational equity, international development, human rights, learning abroad, placed-based learning and social justice. More recently, Williams has served as Director of Multicultural Affairs at Carleton College, Director of Development and Communication for Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Assistant Director of the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence at the University of Minnesota, and Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion within the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts.”  hecua.org Resources Books and Blogs I’d Rather Teach Peace, by Colman McCarthy Louise Hay, You Can Heal Your Life Strength to Love, by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos and Community, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love and Liberation, by Rev. angel Kyodo Williams Lani Guinier Why Every Yoga Teacher and Practitioner Needs Inclusivity Training, by Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts Nike’s Colin Kaepernick Ad Raises Issues of Workers Rights Videos, Documentaries and Films Keme Hawkins, Ph.D. receiving The First Decade Award at Augsburg College Greensboro Four, Independent Lens documentary (watch here) Colman McCarthy, I’d Rather Teach Peace Talk, TEDxGeorgetown Iron Jawed Angels Angela Davis on the Radical Work of Healing and Self Care Hong Kong Blessings, Robyn and Keme’s Peace Pilgrimage to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Yoga Inclusivity Training Organizations and Institutions Center for Conflict Resolution Chicago Augsburg University Nobel Peace Prize Forum Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolence Social Change Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta Ceeds of Peace The Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Hawaii-Manoa Greensboro Four - Lunch counter sit-ins International Civil Rights Center & Museum, Greensboro, NC Women’s Equality Day Alice Paul Institute Intersectionality bell hooks Institute MPD150 Police Review, A People’s Project Evaluating Policing   Want to support the show?  Buy Ayurveda products from Banyan Botanicals! Robyn's Banyan purchase link HERE.  *** To learn more about Robyn's favorite Ayurveda products, CLICK HERE. Ayurveda Consultations Email Robyn @ robynshealthyliving@gmail.com. ***  Screenwriting and Writing Consulting Services Email Keme @ hawkins.keme@gmail.com. ***  Social media Instagram: @spiritpathpodcast Twitter: @onthespiritpath Website: spiritpathpodcast.com  If you like our vibe, be sure to SUBSCRIBE!  

Mitch Landrieu is the white mayor of New Orleans, and he wants America to talk about race. Landrieu is the author of the new book, In The Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History. The statues he refers to are Confederate war memorials, four of which he controversially took down in May of 2017.  "These monuments purposefully celebrate a fictional, sanitized Confederacy; ignoring the death, ignoring the enslavement, and the terror that it actually stood for,” Landrieu said, in a speech that went viral nationally. "After the Civil War, these statues were a part of that terrorism as much as a burning cross on someone’s lawn; they were erected purposefully to send a strong message to all who walked in their shadows about who was still in charge in this city.” Since then, Landrieu's profile has skyrocketed. He is often talked about as a Democratic candidate for 2020. In the New York Times, Michelle Goldberg called him "the white, Southern anti-Trump." In this conversation, Landrieu and I discuss how he came to believe it necessary to remove the statues, and what happened in the aftermath. We also talk about his experience serving in the Louisiana legislature with David Duke ("a dress rehearsal for the rise of Donald Trump,” he says), the power of dog whistle politics, why you can’t run a government like a business, whether Democrats can still talk to the whole country, what makes a “ radical centrist," why leaders need to get comfortable with uncomfortable conversations, and whether confronting America’s divisions opens a path towards healing or just deepens our divides. Recommended books: Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community, by Martin Luther King Jr. Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About our Guest: Lawrence E. Adjah is an entrepreneur and community builder dedicated to creating content, community and conversation that unites, heals and transforms lives. He’s the Founder and Chair of Family Dinner Foundation, an international, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to connect the world as a family at, and beyond, the dinner table.   Episode Summary Lawrence discusses building friendships and relationships as an adult, the challenges of running a global volunteer organization and the importance of a network vs. people who actually care about you.   Insight from this episode:   Lawrence’s background as a Nigerian American growing up in New Jersey and its influence, plus his Olympic dreams and change of focus for his personal goals The unintentional creation of Our Family Dinner in 2008 based on a responsibility to friend feeling depressed and lost in an unknown city Taking the idea of extended family and bringing it to the dinner table and creating a viral movement around it Overcoming the challenges he faced building a global non-profit through taking ownership, building a sustainable/scalable business model, & understanding that friendship and relationships are everything Next steps for Lawrence and his foundation: continuing to serve around the world and helping to build relationships & friendships   You’ll learn: Why Lawrence founded the Family Dinner Foundation How to  a worldwide team through understanding the mission and the fundamentals How to scale up a global volunteer organization The fundamentals of Networks vs. Relationships and the importance of genuine friendships in business How Lawrence has accomplished growing the brand globally and empowering a volunteer global staff to further the reach of his brand The keys to empowering people to partner with you financially The two different type of dinners that exist for the organization Tips to train volunteers remotely   Quotes from our guest:  “ If anything, I said just by osmosis how much can I grow and How much can I learn” - Lawrence Adjah episode #88 “Our mission is to connect the world as a family over the dinner table” - Lawrence Adjah episode #88 “Our tradition is everybody eats at the family dinner table”  - Lawrence Adjah episode #88 “Something magical happens over a meal” - Lawrence Adjah Episode #88 “Family means everybody” - Lawrence Adjah Episode #88     Resources Mentioned: https://www.ourfamilydinner.org/ Google Hangouts Zoom   Favorite Books:     The Last Lecture  by Randy Pausch & Jeffrey Zaslow   Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community by Martin Luther King, Jr Favorite Quotes:   “But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.” Moses from Deuteronomy 4:29 The Bible “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” Paul from 2 Timothy 1:7 The Bible   3 keys to Create Your Best Life: Have faith Be courageous Use your greatest asset to meet your greatest need   Stay Connected:   Create Your Life Series: https://www.facebook.com/cylseries/ https://www.instagram.com/cylseries/   Kevin: www.kevinybrown.com www.instagram.com/kevinybrown www.twitter.com/kevinybrown www.facebook.com/kevbrown001   Guest Name: http://lawrenceadjah.com/ Instagram: @adjah_l Twitter: @ajah_l Facebook: @lawrence.adjah Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on  itunes, google play, stitcher and www.createyourlifeseries.com/podcast

Welcome back to robinlofton.com.  Actually, I should welcome to the new rememberinghistory.com podcast. This month, April 2015, I launched the new and improved website and podcast called rememberinghistory.com where we are still remembering history and we’re still making history, too!  Yes, it’s a new and improved website and community where you can still find the Wiki History podcasts, my bodacious blog and a great community of fun and friendly people who love history!  You will also find some new things at rememberinghistory.com. I have opened a store called Books & Stuff where you can find, well, books. But you can also find DVDs, videos, and lots of other “stuff” to enhance your history experience.    While I’m glad that you are listening to my podcasts, I think that it’s also important to read, read and read some more.  I remember that John Adams (2nd president of the United States) said when after finishing his studies at Harvard and before writing the Massachusetts constitution was asking himself, “How can I judge? How can any man judge unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading?!”  That’s why I have opened a books and stuff store.  And I’ve made it easy because I have also added my personal reading recommendations for the month and for just general knowledge and interest. Everything that I recommend in the store, I have personally read and highly recommend. So, what if you’re not the reading type? That’s okay too. Some people are more visual. Some people are more audio-oriented. Everyone is learns differently.  (John Adams and his contemporaries didn’t have that option!) But we do so I also recommend DVDs and audiobooks. Again, each one has been personally vetted by me—I have read, watched or listened to all of them.  I would also like your opinions about these supplementary items and I definitely want your recommendations too. So, that is one of the new things that you will find at rememberinghistory.com.   There will be another new addition to the website too, which will launch on June 1st.  I will give you more information and ways to win prizes and other freebies as the date gets closer but for now…just know that something big is coming soon. Stay tuned.  Finally, before getting to our first Wiki History Podcast about Less Famous Heroes, I just want to remind you that you can still go to robinlofton.com but you will be redirected automatically to rememberinghistory.com.      Please remember to sign up so that you can receive the podcasts, blogs, news and updates directly to you by email.  (Don’t worry, you won’t get an avalanche of email messages but you will stay informed and updated about the goings on at rememberinghistory.com. Enough said about that.   In the Spring, I like to take a moment to remember the people who have fought and died in the struggle for civil rights, the fight for human rights.  Yes, I know that Spring is upon us, the days are longer, the birds are singing again and the flower buds are just returning. It is a time for renewal. But for me it is also a time for remembrance.  Why? Two reasons. In the midst of all the wonderful feelings of happiness, joy and freedom, it just feels right to me to remember those people who fought for us to have the right to enjoy those freedoms.  The second reason is that April 4th is the day that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.  April 4, 1968 to be exact.  He was certainly a fallen—and definitely not forgotten—hero.   Dr. King needs no introduction. But he definitely deserves our remembrance this month. He was a (or the) leader in the civil rights movement.  Many people do not realize, though, that he was also a philosopher and prolific writer.  His speeches are legendary but his books take the issues to a new level of deep.  One of his best, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?  should be on everyone’s short list to read. Written in 1967, Dr. King discusses, in this book, the advances made in civil rights in the 1950s and 60s. But then he continues on to question what African Americans can and should do with these hard-won freedoms. He concludes that Blacks and whites—or actually, everyone—should unite to fight poverty and demand equality of opportunity. This is a powerful book, and very ahead of its time.       For a shorter and very moving summary of his philosophy, read Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham jail (written on April 16, 1963).  It is a condensed version of his philosophy and thoughts about discrimination, equality and how people will have to unite for the common good.  I saw another side to Dr. King as well in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail. He sounded angry and frustrated about the difficulties that he was facing in the cause of equality, especially from his clergy brethren.  You will see a very human side to Dr. King, which is compelling and provides a fuller picture of this brilliant man. Dr. King was the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964. Yes, he was a leader of the African American community but his vision and work led him to become a world leader.  Dr. King was killed on April 4, 1968.  He will always be remembered and honored for his dedication and service.  And now is a great time to remember other people who though not so prominent or famous as Dr. King made important and courageous contributions in the field of human rights too.  Some made big contributions. Others made strong individual stands. All were important and deserve to be remembered. That’s what I’m doing today.   By the way, you can find Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community? and Letter from a Birmingham Jail as well as DVDs and audiobooks in the bookstore at rememberinghistory.com. You don’t have to remember the names—you will find them in the Special Section called Less Famous Heroes in the bookstore at rememberinghistory.com.   Have you heard of Corporal Roman Ducksworth, Jr.?   Corporal Ducksworth was a military officer with leave to go home to see his wife and five children. On April 9, 1962, he was taking a bus through Mississippi when a police officer, William Kelly, awoke Corporal Ducksworth by punching him in the face. The officer then ordered Corporal Ducksworth off the bus. He refused.  The officer dragged then dragged him off the bus at gunpoint and shot him through the heart. Let’s back up a moment.  Why did this happen, why was Corporal Ducksworth killed?  Different accounts but probably because he refused to move when the bus entered Mississippi, where segregation was still enforced.  The Supreme Court had already declared segregation on buses to be illegal.  And Corporal Ducksworth stood up for his right to sit in any available seat on the bus. For that stand, he was punished, killed. In standing up for his right, he also stood up for our rights.  This was a courageous move for anyone to make in Mississippi in 1962. Unfortunately, Corporal Ducksworth was killed and Officer Kelly’s actions were ruled as justifiable homicide; no federal charges were filed.   However, Corporal Ducksworth received full military honors and a 16-gun salute. For his bravery in standing up for his rights, we salute Corporal Ducksworth and honor his courage.  Thank you, Corporal Ducksworth!     Rev. George Washington Lee   We move on now to another brave man in the fight for civil rights. Rev. George Washington Lee. What a great name. In fact, many African Americans were named (or named themselves) after the founders of the United States.  People like George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington are other examples.  Some were so named during slavery but many others received their names after slavery ended.  Back to George Washington Lee.   Reverend Lee was the first black person to register to vote in Humphreys County, Mississippi since Reconstruction. Rev. Lee often used his pulpit and his printing press to urge other Blacks to vote. White officials offered him protection on the condition he end his voter registration efforts. And Rev. Lee received many death threats for his efforts to register himself and other Blacks to vote. But he would not be deterred.   Reverend Lee was a member of the NAACP and had worked for years to pay poll taxes so that he could vote and was finally allowed to sign the register after the county sheriff feared federal prosecution.   On the night of May 7, 1955, Reverend Lee drove his car along Belzoni’s Church Street, returning from an NAACP meeting when people said “two gun blasts shattered the night stillness, and his Buick sedan swerved over the curb and rammed into a frame house.  Several witnesses saw a car drive by with white men inside but the local sheriff ruled that Rev. Lee had argued with a woman and lost control of his car. He died on his way to the Humphreys County Memorial Hospital.”     As it turned out, the FBI did investigate Rev Lee’s murder and records show the agency built a circumstantial murder case against two men, but a local prosecutor refused to take the case to a grand jury. Peck Ray and Joe David Watson Sr., the suspects, were members of the Citizens Council. Both died in the 1970s and never served any time for the killing.   Some of Lee’s friends believe the murder was part of a larger conspiracy involving influential members of the community who wanted to silence Rev. Lee for encouraging blacks to register to vote.   For his courage and determination to vote and encouraging other Blacks to vote, we honor the memory of Rev. George Washington Lee. And we thank him for his service.  (Applause)   I will end this first podcast about Less famous heroes with a discussion of Harry and Harriet Moore. They were both black educators in Florida and formed the first office of the N AACP in the southern state.  The Moores focused on the sharp disparity or difference between the salaries and benefits received by white teachers and black teachers in the public schools. In fact, they filed the first lawsuit teacher salary disparities.  They also fought against segregation particularly in education. Later, Mr. Moore began to focus on the problem of police brutality and lynching—both very controversial and dangerous subjects. Harry Moore documented and personally investigated more than a hundred cases of lynching in the state of Florida.  Because of their work against violence and discrimination, they received numerous death threats and were later fired from their jobs.         On Christmas Day in 1951, a firebomb was placed directly under their bedroom in the house where they with their two daughters. The bomb exploded while they slept. Its explosion was called the “blast heard around the world” and sent the bed flying through the ceiling. Harry Moore was killed instantly. Nine days later, Harriett Moore died. Their daughters survived. Rallies were held. Letters were sent to the Governor and President Eisenhower but to no avail. No one was ever arrested or charged. They are the only known couple to be killed in the fight for civil rights.     A recent investigation into the bombing—and by recent, I mean 2005 (more than 50 years ago their murders)—by the Florida State Attorney General discovered that the bombing had been done by four Klansmen who were known to be especially violent and used explosives in other killings. One of the klansmen actually had a diagram of the Moore’s home. Two of the klansmen died in 1956 (the year after the bombing), one klansman committed suicide and the remaining killer died in 1978. Before his death from cancer, he admitted to being at the scene of the bombing of the Moore’s home in 1951.   The Moore’s have received many posthumous awards and honors, including have a post office and state high way named after them. They were also inducted into the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame. Langston Hughes wrote and read a poem at their funeral. It is short so I want to take a moment to read it.   Florida means land of flowers It was on a Christmas night. In the state named for the flowers Men came bearing dynamite... It could not be in Jesus’ name Beneath the bedroom floor On Christmas night the killers Hid the bomb for Harry Moore   A book was written about Harry Moore called Before His Time: The Untold Story of Harry T. Moore, America’s First Civil Rights Martyr. It was written in 1999 by investigative journalist Ben Green. You can find this book (which is also about Harriett too) in the bookstore at rememberinghistory.com.  I hope that you read it but be prepared for an emotional ride—anger, sadness, frustration or all of the above. You decide. And let me know your thoughts and feelings about the book; I look forward to your comments.   For their work in education and courage to fight segregation and violence against African Americans, we remember and honor Harry and Harriett Moore. And we thank them for their service. (Applause!)   So, this brings the first podcast about Less Famous heroes to an end.  Corporal Ducksworth. Reverend George Washington Lee. Harry and Harriett Moore. While it is important to note the violence that ended their lives, it is more important (I believe) to remember how they lived, what they fought for and their courage under fire.  And they can give us the courage to stand up for what is right and fair for all people.   In the next podcast, I will make a special focus still on Less Famous heroes. But the next podcast will focus on heroes who were white and were killed during the civil rights movement, fighting for civil rights. I think that many times we forget that many whites participated in the rallies and marches and were also opposed to segregation and the other evils of discrimination. (Their work and activities also caused them to lose friends, be rejected by family members and face violence.) So, I’m going to remember them in the next podcast.  Their stories are also interesting and inspirational and remind us to stand up not only for our own rights, but also for the rights of others.   I am reminded of one of my favorite philosophers, Edmund Burke, who said “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (repeat)  Well these people refused to “do nothing” even though things might have been easier and safer for them if they did. So they are an inspiration to us all and I am happy to remember and honor them in the next podcast.   I hope that you will join me for the next podcast and that you enjoyed this session.  Yes, the stories can be sad. They can be frustrating, perhaps even make you angry.  But they are a part of history—all these people made history and we are here to remember history and to make history, too!   If you want more information—and I hope that you do—please visit rememberinghistory.com and look at the blog and the bookstore where you will find the books that I mentioned at the beginning called Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community and the Letter from a Birmingham Jail. And the book about Harry Moore. You will also find other books, DVDs and resources that I personally recommend.  Also, please leave your questions, comments, stories or just whatever is on your mind. We are a welcoming community of historians and we want you to be a part of it.  So, see you next time at rememberinghistory.com (formerly robinlofton.com) where we are remembering history and we’re making history!   Bye for now!  

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and President Obama's second inauguration, we speak with Cheri Honkala of the Poor Peoples Economic and Human Rights Campaign and Robert Pollin of the Political Economy Research Institute at U Mass-Amherst about Dr. King's Poor Peoples Campaign, the current state of the economy, the direction the economy is expected to go during Obama's second term and what people are doing to shift the economy and meet human needs. We listen to excerpts from Dr. King's speech before the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta, GA in August, 1967 called "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community." VisitClearingtheFOGRadio.org. 

Drew Hart discusses Chapter One of Martin Luther King Jr's final book "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?" with Lisa Sharon Harper for Freedom Road. This conversation was recorded on MLK Day 2021 in front of a live audience via Zoom and Facebook. For more information on this book club please go to https://freedomroad.us/downloads/national-book-study-where-do-we-go-from-here-by-rev-dr-martin-luther-king/ Follow Lisa Sharon Harper on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lisasharper) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/lisasharper) @lisasharper. Follow Drew Hart on [Instagram](http://instagram.com/druhart) and [Twitter](http://twitter.com/druhart) @druhart. Follow Jarrod McKenna on [Instagram](http://www.instagram.com/jarrodmckenna) and [Twitter](http://jarrodmckenna) @jarrodmckenna.