Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? (King Legacy)

King wrote this decades ago and yet it’s shockingly relevant today. The most disturbing part of the whole book is that it feels like not much has changed. His thoughts on peaceful demonstrations in the phrase “black power” are interesting. The calls to action, especially calling out white people, are convicting and crucial right now.

“In the days ahead we must not consider it unpatriotic to raise certain basic questions about our national character.”

“Whites, it must frankly be said, are not putting in a similar mass effort to reeducate themselves out of their racial ignorance. It is an aspect of their sense of superiority that the white people of America believe they have so little to learn.”

“Social justice and progress show more are the absolute guarantors of riot prevention. There is no other answer. Constructive social change will bring certain tranquillity; evasions will merely encourage turmoil. Negroes hold only one key to the double lock of peaceful change. The other is in the hands of the white community.” show less

By the end of the 1960s, you would have think that non-violent actions truly had been successful when it comes to the fate of African-Americans and their civil rights. Racial segregation was ended in most buses across the South, Freedom Rides had expanded such desegregation for journeys across States, coffee shops and restaurants were subjected to the same process, the Civil Right Act had been signed, Jim Crow laws were officially abolished, the Voting Right Act had been implemented, so-called 'breadbaskets operations' were in full swing... And yet...

And yet, Blacks, by the 1970s, were still mostly living in ghettos, their unemployment rate was as high as their infant mortality rate (twice that of White people), those working were show more still earning twice less than their White counterparts, and performed surveys about the racial question were everything but hopeful: 88% of White people reported not wanting their children to be in a relationship with a Black person, 80% that they would feel uncomfortable should a friend or relative be in one, and 50% admitted to not wanting Blacks as neighbours. The conclusion to be drawn was very bleak indeed: equality in rights had not brought about equality in facts. Was it any wonder that the civil right movement itself was then entering into a crisis phase?

The crisis was so deep, that it would personally affect MLK himself, as his message centred around non-violence was becoming seriously challenged. What was he to do with racial and urban riots such as Watts (1965) or, the new slogan 'Black Power', hiding a growing resent and hatred towards Whites over a coherent and workable political approach? Violence had fed violence, and the cycle seemed then to be about to lead the whole country down a path to hell -again.

Reflecting upon it all, MLK's book makes, here, for a sad read, especially when it comes to his bitterness in seeing his message being betrayed by a new generation of leaders. Yet, beyond his contained rancour (or so I felt), lies a clever and relevant analysis. What's to blame, for him, is certainly not pacifism and non-violent deeds -far from that! What's to blame is poverty. And it worked both ways.

His diagnosis, here, was rather simple, and yet quite correct. For as long as Blacks will be ostracised into ghettos, treated like second class citizens, fed an inadequate education, having but very poor access to decent public services, let alone work opportunities, then they will be pushed into, from crime to resent towards Whites, a cycle that will keep feeding White racism towards them. On the other hand, for as long as poor Whites, too, will be made resentful of Black by wrongly perceiving them as competitors when it comes to political attention, education, jobs, and housing, then they, too, will be pushed into racist populisms feeding hatred, while not solving anyone's problem. But then again: cui bono? Again, the pastor faces a sad, bitter truth; that of a government back then far more concerned about a war in Vietnam than addressing its problems at home.

I truly liked this book, which, I think, might be his best. This is not only about defending non-violent action and warning against hatred and violence feeding nothing but hatred and violence; it is, above all, about a brilliant analysis which is still valid today: poverty is a terrible scourge, and refusing to address it can only feeds a whole set of other societal diseases, those consequences can be far reaching indeed. Once again, then, MLK's message will never get old. show less

"This is a book about power -- specifically the power of a nonviolent army of determined Negroes who, with a smaller band of committed whites, have concluded that equality is not given but is taken, and that nothing but relentless pressure will ever achieve full citizenship for America's Negroes.
"'Power, properly understood, is the ability to achieve purpose,' writes Dr. King in an eloquent chapter on the Black Power Movement. 'It is the strength required to bring about social, political, or economic changes. In this sense power is not only desirable but necessary in order to implement the demands of love and justice.'" - from book jacket

Hard to know what to think. The first book I’ve read by King, but of course as an American I’ve absorbed a lot of his work through my life. A lot in the book seemed obvious now but surely was much more striking at the time. As I was reading I often felt like I heard his voice. I was interested in his discussions about dealing with racism directly as opposed to dealing with multiracial poverty.

You get the impression learning about MLK he was ahead of his time. This book makes you realize just how many light years ahead he was. A true, infinitely compassion visionary.

I am once again in awe of how relevant the work of Dr. King is. The words in this book could easily be addressing political and social issues today. In this work he definitely moves his thinking to include education, poverty issues, employment and more. He also addresses the money spent on the military. It's definitely a broader and more edgy book and I appreciated that.

Read for class.

I am astonished, perhaps amazed by Dr. King's thoughts. His transcendent non-violent morality, as well as his world-weary readiness for martyrdom are both apparent here. This was written after the momentous Civil Rights victory, and his efforts shifted from organizational and de facto instead of de jure racism. In short, the problems which still plague most of the black community today. If only he was alive a little bit longer. Much has been done to solve these problems in America, but there is still much to be done. Invaluable.