#spotlightpost

February is Black History Month, a month set to observe the history of the movements and achievements of African Americans and their descendants.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

— Martin Luther King Jr.

“In my early years, there were a number of experiences that made me decide I could not afford the luxury of just being an actress. There were a number of issues I wanted to address. I wanted to use my career as a platform.”

— Cicely Tyson

“All I want for my children — and I think all you want for yours — is a fair and equal chance and respect for their dignity as human beings. Give us that and we’ll do the rest.”

— Jackie Robinson

“I'm a perfectionist. I'm pretty much insatiable. I feel there's so many things I can improve on.”

— Serena Williams

“We’ve been floating this country on credit for centuries, yo, and we’re done watching and waiting while this invention called whiteness uses and abuses us, burying black people out of sight and out of mind while extracting our culture, our dollars, our entertainment like oil – black gold, ghettoizing and demeaning our creations then stealing them, gentrifying our genius and then trying us on like costumes before discarding our bodies like rinds of strange fruit. The thing is though… the thing is that just because we’re magic doesn’t mean we’re not real.”

— Jesse Williams

“This all started as a love story. And it still is. This love transformed me from a curious, stargazing young girl to a professional astrophysicist, hot on the heels of celestial discovery. Who knew that chasing after the universe would ground me so deeply to my mission here on Earth. Then again, when do we ever know where love's first flutter will truly take us.”

— Jedidah Isler

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’”

Martin Luther King Jr. was an inspiration and a key figure in civil rights advancement in the United States and around the world as well. He was born Michael King and his name remained as that until a few years later when his father, also Michael King, changed his own name to Martin Luther King Sr. to honor a great protestant reformer. His son's name was also changed to Martin Luther King Jr. M.L.K. Jr. was admitted to Morehouse College at the age of 15 and graduated at the age of 19. He received his Doctorate of Philosophy in Systematic Theology at the age of 26 at Boston University. In addition to being an American pastor, he was a humanitarian, activist and a prominent leader. Following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, he consistently used nonviolent methods in his lifetime. He married Coretta Scott on June 18, 1953 and settled in Montgomery, Alabama.

On December 1, 1955, after Rosa Parks was arrested for standing up for what she believed in and refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger, Martin Luther King Jr. joined the bus boycott. A few days later on December 5, 1955, he was elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association resulting in him becoming the official representative spokesperson for the boycott. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders stood near the bus stops to evaluate their strategy in action. Buses drove by with no African American passengers on board or interested in boarding. Those who were boycotting believed in the cause to the extent that they chose to walk the distance, pedal bicycles, carpool and/or even ride mules. Seeing that the boycott was a success, thousands of people gathered at the Montgomery Church to listen to their leader, Dr. King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. left the church that night with three demands:

Change the law requiring African American bus passengers to give up their seats to white passengers.

Bus drivers must be courteous to all passengers.

Hire African American bus drivers.

In January of 1956, during the aftermath of bus desegregation, King's house was bombed. On November 13, 1956, bus segregation was declared illegal by the Supreme Court, proving the boycott to be a success, thanks to the combined efforts of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., the Montgomery Improvement Association and a united African American community. In June of 1957, both Jackie Robinson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had the pleasure of earning their honorary doctorates from Howard University. When Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 by becoming the first African-American to play in major league baseball, Martin Luther King Jr. was only eighteen years old. When Jackie made that leap and took that initiative, he metaphorically gave Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement the bat needed to knock racism and segregation as far out and down as possible.

“Woke” by Empire’s Nessa, portrayed by Sierra A. McClain

When I heard the melody, harmony and rhythm coming from her amazing voice, I was lost for words and I literally had the same expression that Andre had on his face when he heard and witnessed her sing for the first time. This was an amazing song and this woman has got amazing talent. Her beautiful voice, music and delivery continue to captivate me.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” 

The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.  

Each year, Americans across the country come together on the King holiday (1/16/17) and throughout the year to serve their communities and neighbors. This is an effort and attempt to create and deliver solutions to the world’s most urgent national problems. To find a volunteer project or register your own, visit http://mlkday.gov.