Martin Luther King and Meet the Press, 1965
The push to create a national holiday to honor Martin Luther King began in 1968 not long after his assassination. It would take a petition of over 3 million signatures and 20 years to become a reality on paper* and another 14 years before all 50 states would honor the day in the year 2000.
To mark the day at blue cheddar, I’ll share this 25 minutes of essential viewing.
On March 28, 1965, MLK was a guest on NBC’s Meet the Press – the reporters being in New York and him in San Francisco. You’ll see in this video MLK facing off against those who are struggling to understand him. It makes him seem more like you and I than the thundering speeches do. It also shows us how a man can eloquently and thoughtfully address even insulting questions.
The journalists are interrogating in tone yet maintain enough dignity to avoid interrupting