The familiar smell of a place of worship fills the air. In this center of this cavernous room is a raised lectern surrounded by a sea of wooden chairs. A sense of reverence can be felt in this space, commanding our quiet and respect. In the middle of a rumbling storm 55 years ago, there would have been thunderous applause. The lively audience would be transfixed on an exhausted looking man, delivering one last legendary speech. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have stood behind this lectern in April 1968 and his words about economic justice still echo off the walls.
The sanitation workers of Memphis would routinely work long hours in all conditions. All for the very low wage of .65/hour. In early 1968, workers Echol Cole and Robert Walker had taken shelter from rain in the back of their truck when it malfunctioned. Both men were crushed to death. When the City of Memphis refused to compensate the families, 1,300 Memphis sanitation workers walked off the job demanding better conditions and higher pay. The issue was mainly a local one until the struggle attracted the attention of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who saw alignment with his turn toward economic justice.
In 1967, Dr. King and his staff decided to launch the Poor People’s Campaign to highlight and find solutions to many of the problems facing the poor. This initiative came after more than a decade of speeches and non-violent direct actions across the South. The plan for the march was that protestors—consisting of poor Black, white, Native American, and Latinx people from urban and rural areas—would come together in Washington, D.C. and demand a $12 billion Economic Bill of Rights guaranteeing employment, universal basic income, and an end to discrimination in housing.
Dr. King arrived in Memphis to a series of advances and setbacks. In March 1968, a large protest he attended turned ugly when an outside group infiltrated and became violent, leading to the death of an unarmed Black teenager at the hands of Memphis police. On April 3rd, a thunderstorm descended on Memphis. Dr. King, sick, tired, and in bed at the Lorraine Motel had no intention of speaking at Mason Temple. When Rev. Ralph Abernathy called to report that the crowd was filled with reporters and sanitation workers that had braved the bad weather, Dr. King answered the call.
Dr. King argued for fair and safe labor conditions as a human right and was so moved by the spirit that he envisioned his impending demise:
“We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!”
Less than 24 hours after he spoke those words, Dr. King was shot and killed at the Lorraine Motel. Negotiators finally reached a deal 12 days later, allowing the Memphis City Council to recognize the union and guaranteeing better wages for sanitation workers. Systemic economic oppression has been built through the policies and practices of white people over the lifespan of the American experiment and it will inevitably take time dismantle. We honor the legacy of Dr. King when we commit ourselves to rooting out racial difference and economic injustice anywhere it is found.
