On April 4, 1968, a racist assassin ended the life of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was supporting sanitation workers with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. King’s murder sparked riots, marches, prayer gatherings, and protests across the nation. Those who wanted him dead believed that killing him would end the civil rights movement. Now, the same right-wing, racist forces are trying to destroy everything King stood for, including his «I Have a Dream» speech.
When King was assassinated, he was being criticized for opposing the Vietnam War and focusing on poverty in America. At the University of Colorado, where I was a student, black athletes and I, the lone Latino, were organized by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) to protest King’s death. These white radicals understood the significance of the moment, and through our demonstrations in the following weeks, we brought change to the university.
On the night of King’s assassination, SDS students found me at home, glued to the television, tears streaming down my face. They pushed me to stand up, to use my voice, and to channel my love for King into action. To be honest, I was afraid; I had never been part of such an effort before. Four days after King’s death, Congressman John Conyers introduced a bill to make King’s birthday a national holiday, a campaign he continued until President Ronald Reagan signed it into law on November 2, 1983. That year, my family and I attended a rally in Washington, D.C., organized by Conyers, where Stevie Wonder performed «Happy Birthday.» It was a small gathering, but the snowflakes that fell made it a day to remember.
The holiday was created to keep the dream alive. In his death, King’s legacy persisted, as we, his followers, worked to sustain hope. Racists who killed King are now trying to kill the dream. In recent years, we’ve seen right-wing efforts to dismantle the dream and extinguish hope in the hearts of many. The ultra-right movement, now embodied in MAGA madness, has been eroding protections and opportunities for the most vulnerable among us. They have banned books and rewritten America’s history to suit their agenda. America has a proud history, but it also has dark chapters that must be acknowledged.
If we don’t stand up for the truth, we risk a sanitized version of history. Imagine history books depicting blacks lynching whites, Native Americans forcing white settlers on death marches, or straight people being killed by violent mobs. While these events didn’t happen, the truth about America’s dark past is being buried, and it’s just as dangerous.
This year, the MLK holiday falls on the same day as Donald Trump’s inauguration. Right-wing America has done everything to diminish the power of people of color, banning books that tell the true story of this country, and attacking efforts to establish equality under the law. In the past, the Republican Party stood for the Constitution. Today, they work to deny rights to anyone who isn’t white or straight.
King’s «I Have a Dream» speech was not just for African Americans—it was for all Americans. It was my dream too. Later in life, I had the honor of working with Coretta Scott King and many civil rights icons. So, what are we to do this year? Should we go to Trump’s inauguration and wave our American flags, knowing that his administration will continue to undermine democracy and the values of our Constitution? The recent election showed that many citizens still buy into the false narratives of the right.
It’s suggested that all people of good conscience stand up on this day and ensure that their service is directed toward protesting this storm of hate. This should be the beginning of a struggle to protect democracy, where we must stand and work together. If you can attend a demonstration, do so—even if you have to go in a wheelchair or with a walker. Your presence is needed. If you’re stuck at home or in a hospital, spend every minute calling, texting, and contacting family and friends, urging them to join us on this day as we begin our work to save the dream.
You don’t need a Ph.D. to tell the truth and protect human rights. You just need the courage to stand strong and show that love will last longer than hate. We are here to stay, and we are part of a united coalition fighting for freedom and justice. And yes, we still believe in the dream, and in the end, we will win.
