The Enduring Ideals of Dr. King
The Enduring Ideals of Dr. King
by Daniel R. Porterfield, Ph.D.
On Jan. 21, we again reflect upon the meaning of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy. For me, this day has always been especially significant because I have memories of Dr. King from my childhood that inspire me today.
How did I “know” Dr. King? Born in 1961, I grew up in integrated Baltimore City neighborhoods, where, before and after his assassination in 1968, he was a hero for black and white children. In grade school, we learned that he was our Frederick Douglass and our W.E.B. DuBois, teaching the whole country that discrimination is wrong.
Looking back, I now appreciate that many of us felt a distinctly personal connection to Dr. King. We kept pictures of him in our living rooms and 33 rpm album recordings of the “I Have a Dream” speech. My father dro
by Daniel R. Porterfield, Ph.D.
On Jan. 21, we again reflect upon the meaning of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy. For me, this day has always been especially significant because I have memories of Dr. King from my childhood that inspire me today.How did I “know” Dr. King? Born in 1961, I grew up in integrated Baltimore City neighborhoods, where, before and after his assassination in 1968, he was a hero for black and white children. In grade school, we learned that he was our Frederick Douglass and our W.E.B. DuBois, teaching the whole country that discrimination is wrong.
Looking back, I now appreciate that many of us felt a distinctly personal connection to Dr. King. We kept pictures of him in our living rooms and 33 rpm album recordings of the “I Have a Dream” speech. My father dro
