“Where Do We Go From Here?” (August 16th 1967) was a speech Martin Luther King, Jr gave before the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
The civil rights reforms had not ended racism:
Of the good things in life, the Negro has approximately one half those of whites. Of the bad things of life, he has twice those of whites. Thus, half of all Negroes live in substandard housing. And Negroes have half the income of whites. When we turn to the negative experiences of life, the Negro has a double share: There are twice as many unemployed; the rate of infant mortality among Negroes is double that of whites;
Three things still held blacks down:
- Being ashamed of being black:
Yes, I was a slave through my foreparents, and now I’m not ashamed of that. I’m ashamed of the people who were so sinful to make me a slave. Yes, yes, we must stand up and say, “I’m black, but I’m black and beautiful.” This, this self-affirmation is the black man’s need, made compelling by the white man’s crimes against him.
- Lack of economic and political power:
The plantation and the ghetto were created by those who had power, both to confine those who had no power and to perpetuate their powerlessness. Now the problem of transforming the ghetto, therefore, is a problem of power, a confrontation between the forces of power demanding change and the forces of power dedicated to the preserving of the status quo.
- The interrelated evils of racism, war and economic exploitation:
A nation that will keep people in slavery for 244 years will “thingify” them and make them things. And therefore, they will exploit them and poor people generally economically. And a nation that will exploit economically will have to have foreign investments and everything else, and it will have to use its military might to protect them. All of these problems are tied together.
Black ghettos are domestic colonies – black dollars leave the ghetto to fill white pockets. Whites even make most of the money off of the garbage the ghetto creates! By boycotting and picketing white businesses, like Sealtest, King got them to keep money from leaving the ghetto: by hiring more black workers, by putting ads in black newspapers, by keeping money in black banks, etc.
There should be a guaranteed annual income:
John Kenneth Galbraith said that a guaranteed annual income could be done for about $20 billion a year. And I say to you today, that if our nation can spend $35 billion a year to fight an unjust, evil war in Vietnam, and $20 billion to put a man on the moon, it can spend billions of dollars to put God’s children on their own two feet right here on earth.
As to black revolution, it lacks the mass support needed to succeed.
Race riots have not “won any concrete improvement such as have the organized protest demonstrations.”
Non-violence is still the answer:
Darkness cannot put out darkness; only light can do that.
See also:
- “Where Do We Go From Here” – read the full speech (7625 words)
- Martin Luther King Jr
- black ghetto
- internalized racism
- The 1967 Detroit Riot
- The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
- American racism against blacks
I have a story about MLK Jr. When my dad was a young man, Michael King came to his city to foment a riot. My dad didn’t really know what was going on because he had been out of town on business. As he drove back in he was shocked to see armed national guardsmen stationed around the city. He pulled up to a redlight and realized he was trapped by the cars in front and behind. Then a mob attacked his car. They broke out the windows and were trying to pull him out. They were going to give him the “Reginald Denny” treatment. Fortunately, my dad was carrying his Chief’s Special and managed to shoot his way out of it. True story.
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[…] See on abagond.wordpress.com […]
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Churchs,
Lemme guess, the mob was black or mostly black, right?
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The collapse of USSR should be an example how people can really change things. There were few more opressive and totalitarian regimes anywhere than the System of USSR, if any, and USSR had a huge terror machine in place to control the people. Despite that, it took only coouple of weeks to bring it down, no matter how much the old regime tried to hold on. People just did not obey anymore. They were no longer affraid anymore. They just sort of said: Forget it, its over. And the system tried its old tricks: mass arrests, tanks, special forces, shootings, kidnappings, emergency laws, marshall law, what ever it had. It drove over people with tanks, it gassed them, it chopped them with shovels on tv, everything. But people did not obey it anymore. So, if that was possible, a change in USA is possible.
One ingredient which must be mentioned here: the organised crime. It has been proven that the Newark riots were at least partly because the black population had no economical or any chances in that city. Everything was controlled by the city system, which was controlled by organised crime to at large extend. The mayor was actually sent to prison when inverstigation exposed his contacts to organised crime.
Organised crime had been behind the tidal wave of heroin into the black communities from the early 50’s at least, with an understanding of the local authorities that the drugs will kept out from white areas. FBI was willing to look the other way also. CIA was working in tandem with organised crome figures. At least one made member of the Cosa Nostra negotiated with the president about the labor politics. That was the System. Big business, organised crime, government operators and local political machines.
MLK ja Malcom X talked about this unholy alliance several times, they warned about it and exposed it and tried to get attention into it, and they both ended up dead. Both also knew that unless there is a mass movement against this system, nothing will be achieved. Malcolm X did not rule out the use of violence BUt he said that because the System IS violent and has all the means, the fight will be unequal and there fore the movement of the masses is the way to go. Both of them were absolutely right. That is why they were so dangerous. They were seen as potential guys to get that mass movement to start.
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@brothawolf:
😀
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@ Legion
I wanted to do this speech sooner or later and I wanted to do something MLK for MLK Day. But in this particular case the speech fit right in with “American racism against blacks” which in turn fits in with “Arab racism against blacks” which in turn WILL fit in with “The Arab slave trade”. But sometimes I get on these tangents and never wind up doing the main post I had in mind – like one on American Indian boarding schools or Rev Wright.
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@Legion–
Thanks for this from Dr. MLK:
Now, we got to get this thing right. . . . What is needed is a realization that . . . . love without power is sentimental and anemic.h
This has exactly been my point all along. “love without power is sentimental and anemic.” This is what I call idealism. I realize that some Black Americans think that all we need is love and that they can reason or persuade people with lots more power to be nice and play by the rules of equality, justice, and all of those ideals. I believe that may work with only a very few people and in only a few cases.
I don’t believe that people can be talked out of their power and even if they agree today not to use it against you, they can change their minds tomorrow because they still have that power. So, anyone can call me a troll or any other name, but most of my comments will focus on the need for Black Americans to acquire their own power by first focusing on self-discipline, achieving, and family values among other precursors to Black advancement.
This would not involve focusing on Whites at all. IMO, at this point, Black Americans need to focus almost all of their focus in-house.This is because even if institutional racism vanished today, only a small number of Black Americans would be able to benefit in the foreseeable future.
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MLK was much more socially and politically aware than we’re taught to give him credit for. he saw the interrelationship between racism & classism, and spoke out against them.
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@ Legion–
If people see King talking about these two concepts, in the way that he did, everything’s good. If a commenter or some person talks about them, that commenter is then a sinister character. What can you do, right?
All I will do is keep being myself. My parents said that contrary to what many think now, lots of Black Americans back in the day didn’t like or support Dr. King and Malcolm X when they were alive. It was only after they were killed that they became Supermen.
I usually agree with any comment of yours that I come across. At surface, that makes me sound like an undiscriminating airhead, but actually it’s a testament to the consistently honest positions you take and real world solutions you offer at this blog. You really know how to make a clean uncluttered point.
Wow, you actually “get” me!
Further, from my perspective, I’ve always seen that your comments are rooted in a desire for a drastic improvement in the welfare of Black Americans through self determination and a fair degree of simple ‘wising up’.
That’s me, exactly. I don’t see the point in wallowing in emotionalism. That won’t change anything. I have much more self-agency than many commenters here apparently feel they have. Other than that, I don’t understand most here and they definitely don’t understand me.
Spirituality isn’t flowery Hallmark card words, sometimes it’s just simple honesty, cleanly or gently stated, coming from a fundamental position of goodwill and good intentions.
It’s like being a loving parent. Parents who love their children are not going to be liked by their children sometimes because the parent who loves their child usually has to do and say many things that a child won’t Ike. But that unpopular guidance is necessary for the child to grow up the right way.
.
By the way, Congratulations on the engagement!!
Thanks so much. He’s a good man.
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“That’s me, exactly. I don’t see the point in wallowing in emotionalism. That won’t change anything. I have much more self-agency than many commenters here apparently feel they have. Other than that, I don’t understand most here and they definitely don’t understand me.”
I could be wrong and feel free to correct me, but have you tried to understand others or just assume they are wrong? Much of what you say comes off as my way is right or better and other blacks are doing it all wrong. It was Legions clarification that I gained a little understanding of you and I guess you can say I am still trying to.
Kwamla tried to tell you what you thought and how you felt, but here you are concluding that many commenters don’t have self-agency. In turn standing in a position no better than him.
THat does not excuse the names you were called, but it is disheartening to see people who want the same things bash each other over different ways of achieving.
Your position is not wrong so continue to be who you are, but the position of others is not either.
Part of being a loving parent is not only pushing your child to achieve but doing it in a loving manner and realizing achievements come in different form and can be obtained through different avenues. If you enforce your ideas of achievement on your child then your child could rebel. I know I am too emotional, but my emotions have passions have lead to many advancements in my family, so not all bad. 🙂
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“Black ghettos are domestic colonies – black dollars leave the ghetto to fill white pockets. Whites even make most of the money off of the garbage the ghetto creates! By boycotting and picketing white businesses, like Sealtest, King got them to keep money from leaving the ghetto: by hiring more black workers, by putting ads in black newspapers, by keeping money in black banks, etc.”
The ghettos in my area are actually multicultural. We have white business owner, Asian business owner, Indian, and black. Anyway I have in the past year or so been putting my funds back in this community. It is but a small contribution but hopefully one fruitful.
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@Sharina–
Much of what you say comes off as my way is right or better and other blacks are doing it all wrong. It was Legions clarification that I gained a little understanding of you and I guess you can say I am still trying to.
I’d say that people who express their views believe that their views are right. I don’t believe that people deliberately express views that they think are wrong. I’ll bet that you think that your views are right, and they may be right for you, but they may not be for the next person. I make suggestions but I don’t try to impose my views on anyone.
Anyway, last night I called my Dad and asked him why any Black American person could find anything wrong with getting as much power as possible because so many problems here spring from Blacks’ lack of power or the power imbalance. He said this attitude comes from the traditional biblical teachings laced through the thinking of many Black Americans that having lots of money and power is tainted with evil. He said that even some Black Americans who are not Christians believe that because that has been passed down to them through generations. Here’s the quote from the bible:
“Matthew 19:24
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
IMO, it’s this kind of dysfunctional thinking that helps to keep Blacks on the bottom. You’ve expressed that you are wary of power. I’m not. Power wouldn’t turn me into a bad person. So, you see that you and I disagree about this, 🙂 and that’s alright.You’re entitled to your belief as I am to mine.
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@ Jorbia
I stand on a middle ground with my views. All of them I consider needing work. At times I consider them right, but I question them as I do others. While I have some ideas, I admit I am not as knowledgeable as some are. Which is why I come to learn and which is why I took an interest in your stance. Its different so it pulled me in and pushed me to want to know more from your stand point.
I feel your father’s assessment is very interesting and hold some truth. My fear of power comes from how it was misused by whites. Having power is one thing but I fear blacks will treat whites the same out of revenge. Not to say you will, but others I see as taking this road.
I know I know… we are entitled to our opinions 🙂 but to be honest I felt very bad at what things were said to you by others. I just don’t want you to think I agree with that behavior. I hate seeing black people argue with each other. So I am happy mist knowing you did not take it to heart. 🙂
And yes I am a big emotional roller coaster…LOL
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Correction just.
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I guess I am wishing for an even distribution of power. I may be dreaming in that regard, but I really don’t like he idea of any group getting the short end.
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@Sharina–
to be honest I felt very bad at what things were said to you by others. I just don’t want you to think I agree with that behavior. I hate seeing black people argue with each other. So I am happy mist knowing you did not take it to heart.
Thanks, Sweetie, but it’s the same as the way some here feel about their names. My diverse views apparently go against the grain here and that causes a reaction. That’s usually inevitable when anything different enters an area of sameness. That’s why I pointed out if anyone has a name that goes against the grain, they should expect for there to be pushback or a reaction. Most people, including Black people, have a low tolerance level for diversity, and the only reason why Black people tolerate it in their lives as much as they do is because they don’t have as much choice to get rid of it as other people.
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This is such a great blog!
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I think Martin Luther King’s words still resonate with 2013 America because let’s face it, America is still racially divided.
We need to come together like Dr. King said, nonviolently and stopped the systematic racism of Black men and Black people in general in this country that is helping to keep us down.
We as Blacks deserve the same standard of living such as Caucasians because we are people too. Everyone is equal in God’e eyes.
Yes I am a young Black woman of this current generation and I might sound naive but I do believe that we can get rid of racism in this society.
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I don’t really know how we can fix the problem. When I was younger and in School I said a bunch of things that almost got me suspended from school. Like I admired the Synagague approach. When I was a kid it was said by a Jew Rabbi I knew that in the old days if a Jew wanted to start a business he would go to the synagogue there all the connections and help he needed was there. The Synagogue was the first building tool of building a Jewish community. If a Jewish business was going to fail it was the synagogue that push to make sure it didn’t. I was in 5th grade I thought that was awesome. I wonder if the Church was the same for Blacks. When we wanted to make a Business did we have such a community center backing us?
I wrote a paper, titled Community Center Planning; in this paper I thought that with the support of wealthier blacks and middle class blacks you could kind of island out strong black communities. With these communities you could grow (I used incubate at the time, my teacher ridiculed me for it and as you can see my grammar is aweful) more black business leaders. Even as a kid I was leary of the banks because they felt like prisons any time my mother had us go.
Well, to put a long story short I was sent to the principals office and made to apologize. Not my first either, the one thing I never learn even though the lesson was being hammer was how to keep my mouth closed. I know how naive it sounds now but that was a dream I did have when I was younger.
MLK, had once come to Chicago and he went to Marquette Park and there he said that racism in my city was more than anything he’d seen before. There were still Klan marches at that park in the 80’s and my school and Day Camp would still take us to that park. I learn very early you have to have thick skin. Just because you are with a group of kids doesn’t mean you all go through the same thing. Although my friends at the Day Camp were white the moment we went to that park they surrounded me because they knew something bad was going to happen. When my track coach left me in the Park it was two white girls who wouldn’t leave because they were afraid for my safety. (Privately I thought black guy standing in the most racist park ever with two white girls, if that wasn’t a recipe for disaster I didn’t know what was.)They knew the park so when I do see racism I do know that their are people who also stand against it, even if they were only kids.
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This song was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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