47th Anniversary of Dr. King's Famous Sermon to America

No comment need be added here. Possibly the greatest speech in the nation's history lives on. . .

Civil Rights History--Full Circle

You'll want to listen to this segment of Nina Totenberg's story that aired on NPR today. As Totenberg says, "In one snapshot, there it is: civil rights in America, from 1955 to 2009.

More on Joseph Lowery

For more insight on Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction at the close of the Inauguration last Tuesday, check out Gerald Britt's post here.

Gerald's so right.

So much to remember of which most of us have never been aware.

Those who do remember, those who were there, those who felt the pain, and were touched by the hate and the death, those are the people to whom I will give my undivided attention for as long as they will allow me to be taught.

Certainly, these teachers must not be dismissed in haste as if all is forgotten and well.

Thanks, Gerald.



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All we need to know: Community Building 101

Take a few moments and just listen.

We've come so far.

Yet, in regard to values, we discover right here about all we need to know for rebuilding urban America after the order of "the beloved community" that meant so much to Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thank you, Dr. King.

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LBJ and civic progress

I'm reading Alice Schroeder's fascinating biography of Warren Buffet (The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life). To benefit Central Dallas Ministries, you can buy it through the Amazon.com link below and to the right!

Great read so far.

Warren's father, Howard, served in the U. S. Congress during the mid/late 1940s as one of the representatives from Nebraska. He was there during the time that Sam Rayburn served, some would say ruled, as speaker of the House.

Sam was from Texas.

Sam got me thinking about Lyndon Johnson.

And, low and behold, I open The Dallas Morning News Thursday morning and there is a Carl Leubsdorf essay about President Johnson dealing with his contribution to civic advancement in the U. S.

Interesting that President-elect Obama was chosen to serve in the nation's highest office during the 100th anniversary year of Johnson's birth. Leubsdorf's essay is worth reading.

I grew up around lots of Johnson-haters, both young (the war in Vietnam) and old (social policy, especially civil rights), but I'm thinking grateful thoughts this Thanksgiving season for LBJ.

I'm sure you have an opinion. . . .

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The Dream

I was just 13-years-old when he delivered arguably the most famous and significant speech in the nation's history.

Yesterday marked the 45th anniversary of the poor people's march on Washington, the location of Dr. Martin Luther King's address.

Dr. King spoke often of the "beloved community." He knew what we experience and prove up every day here in inner city Dallas. We all need each other. We're all connected to one another. What adversely affects the one, hurts the rest. When one neighborhood struggles or fails, all other neighborhoods are damaged whether immediately felt or recognized or not.

His speech is a gift to us all.

Everyone should listen to this speech at least once a year.

14-1, inclusion and a lesson in Dallas history

If you want to read an informed, brief summary of the history of the advancement of civil rights and participatory democracy in Dallas, Texas, you must read the Op-Ed piece published Wednesday, June 25, 2008 by The Dallas Morning News that my dear friend and partner, Rev. Gerald Britt wrote.

Click on the title line above to get to the link.

Gerald has been making a difference in Dallas for a long, long time, and he is still a young man!

Reactions invited.

Share with a friend.


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Taylor Branch to Dallas

The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture will host its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration symposium on Monday evening, January 21, 2008 from 7:00 to 8:45 p.m. at The Belo Mansion. Central Dallas Ministries is very proud to be one of the community organizations co-sponsoring the event.

Pulitzer Prize-Winning author Taylor Branch will be the distinguished speaker. Branch's epic trilogy, America in the King Years, won him the coveted prize.

The title of Branch's lecture for the evening: "An Audacious Faith: The Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr."

Following his presentation, our own Gerald Britt will be one of the panelists leading a discussion of Dr. King's legacy and Mr. Branch's commentary. It will be a wonderful evening in honor of Dr. King.

The Belo Mansion is located at 2101 Ross Avenue on the Arts District side of Downtown Dallas.

Admission is by reservation only and costs $20 per seat, with school teachers receiving a nice discount at $10 per seat.

To register call 214.871.2440 or go online at http://www.dallasinstitute.org/.

If you are in or near Dallas on this special night, you should plan on attending.

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Strange Fruit

Having spent some time considering James Cone's theological reflections on the connection between the Christian cross and the Southern lynching tree--ironically and hypocritically, the form of execution adopted by Whites who claimed to be Christians--I will conclude by simply sharing the lyrics to the moving song, Strange Fruit.

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.

Use this link to hear Billie Holiday's moving rendition of "Strange Fruit":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs.

Our nation's legacy of racism and race relations leaves us with much work to be done together, today.

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