by Dan Oswald
Today we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. King was a man who accomplished so much, affected so many others, and left a lasting legacy that is still prevalent today.
Martin Luther King, Jr., was born in 1929 and lived just 39 years before he was tragically assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968. But in those 39 years, the Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and humanitarian proved himself one of the greatest speakers and leaders of the 20th century. He helped organize the March on Washington, where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
That speech is recognized as one of the greatest speeches ever given. In fact, it was ranked as the top American speech of the 20th century in a 1999 poll of scholars of public address. King had an incredible ability to move people with his words.
The next year, 1964, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for using nonviolence to combat racial inequality. And this wasn’t the only recognition he received for his work and dedication to equal rights. King was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.
There’s so much all of us can learn from Martin Luther King, Jr., about leadership, but here are a few thoughts based on his own words:
- King understood the importance of servant leadership. He once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” He knew that to lead, you need to serve, and serve he did. King was present at some of the biggest moments of history because he was willing to lend a hand to others when they asked.
- King knew that it’s easy to lead when things are going well, but the true measurement of leaders is where they stand when times are tough. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy,” he said. He stood tall at times of challenge and controversy and left his mark on our country.
- King realized there is a right way to go about getting what you want and a wrong way. He believed, “The time is always right to do what is right.” He didn’t believe violence was the way to accomplish his goals and consistently avoided it. And through his leadership, he got tens of thousands of others to adopt his nonviolent approach.
- King had hope and a vision that he shared repeatedly with others. His “I Have a Dream” speech shared that vision. And in his years battling for civil rights, he never lost hope. He said about it, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” King knew that sometimes you lose the battle, but you must continue to fight if you want to win the war.
There’s no doubt that Martin Luther King, Jr., was a special leader who left a lasting impact on our country. Just a little more than a month before his death, he spoke about how he would like to be remembered after he was gone. As he spoke on the subject, he said, “I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others.” I don’t think there’s any doubt that he IS remembered for having dedicated his life to serving others.
Dan, a great tribute to a great leader. I hunted a MLK “greeting.” There doesn’t seem to be any canonical greeting (like “merry Christmas”) but I found a suggested one:
May your dreams come true.
Thanks, Bob. That seems like a very appropriate greeting to honor MLK.
First of all, I love my Country! I love history. I am 66. When I was in college, I marched in our small, county seat town, against school consolidation; and I was in college when he was killed. Through the years, particularly as my faith in, and my trying to live the teachings of Jesus Christ grew, my heart changed. Then several years ago I began watching Glenn Beck. He talked about Rev. King on several of his programs. I printed and read several of his sermons. Oh, wow! I wish he was alive today! I wish when he was alive, when I was in college, that I had read about him, and maybe even contacted him in some way. He was a great Christian American and I’m so glad that I took the time to find out more about him.
Very sad that such a talented young man’s ended WAY TOO soon. I’d like to add that Dr. King was approached by respected leaders and asked to lead, that he took that responsibility after being asked by the respected members of the community. He was the real deal. He was a very humble man, and a great speaker. And thank God he had the academic accomplishments that he had, as I am sure that helped many others to keep their ears open to begin to consider to listen to his message. Such a shame he wasn’t able to continue in his service to others.