Culture in History
Changing the Culture of a Nation
Commit to What Is Right
“The ultimate test of a man,” Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “is not where he stands in moments of comfort and moments of convenience, but where he stands in moments of challenge and moments of controversy.”
Even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, King maintained a positive outlook, confident that consistently standing for what was right would eventually change the culture around him. With this expectation, he challenged an entire nation to live up to its principles. In his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered in Washington, DC, on August 28, 1963, King shared his dream that “one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’”
Born in 1929, King started school at five, before being sent home when his age was discovered. Returning to school the next year, he went on to skip two grades, then pass the entrance exam to Morehouse College at age 15. In 1954, he accepted his first pastorate in Montgomery, Alabama and received his Ph.D. in Systematic Theology shortly thereafter. A year later, an event took place that gave new direction to King’s life, and changed the history of a nation.
Recognize the Need for Change
Rosa Parks, an African-American woman, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. After that event, King was unanimously elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association. In this capacity, he took positive action, organizing 42,000 people to boycott the Montgomery City Buses.
These actions vaulted King to national prominence, and the U.S. Supreme Court soon ruled that segregation on buses was unconstitutional. The work did not end there, however. King dreamed of a nation where people were judged, “not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” The mistreatment of African-Americans was the result of a culture that focused on outward differences, rather than esteeming a individual’s intrinsic value.
Lead by Example
King understood the end of racial injustice would come only through a change of heart. “To retaliate with hate and bitterness would do nothing but intensify the hate in the world,” he said. Instead, King worked to promote what he called “Direct Action,” an approach using nonviolent tactics to bring moral issues to public attention.
It would have been easy to become bitter against those who opposed him, yet King worked for reconciliation. “The method of nonviolence,” said King, “seeks not to humiliate and not to defeat the oppressor, but it seeks to win his friendship and his understanding. And thereby and therefore the aftermath of this method is reconciliation.” Although he faced many challenges, King continued to lead by example as he saw the process of change slowly shaping the culture around him.
Dr. King’s commitment to his dream ultimately cost him his life in Memphis, Tennessee, where he supported striking sanitation workers. The night before his assassination, King challenged his hearers: “Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be.”
Points to Ponder:
Like Martin Luther King, Jr., you too can have a lasting influence on the culture around you.
- Stand for what is right.
- Purpose not to respond to poor character with poor character.
- Maintain a positive attitude in the face of challenges.
- Take action when you recognize the need for change.