Dr. King's Assassination and African American and Labor History

The April 4th, 1968 Assassination of Dr. M L KING Jr.

A Turning Point in African- American & Labor History

CITY OF MEMPHIS BLACK MUNICIPAL WORKERS START STRIKE FEB. 11, 1968 !

Some 1,300 sanitation workers begin what is to become a 64-day strike in Memphis, ultimately winning union recognition and wage increases. The April 4 assassination in Memphis of Martin Luther King Jr., who had been taking an active role in mass meetings and street actions, brought pressure on the city to settle the strike - 1968

(People forget that Dr. King was every bit as committed to economic justice and workers' rights as he was to ending racial segregation. He fought throughout his life to connect the labor and civil rights movements, envisioning them as twin pillars for social re-constructing of the U.S. ... a needed revolution of U.S. values. All Labor Has Dignity is a collection of King's speeches on labor rights and economic justice that underscore his relevance for today. They help us understand the "real" King anew: as a human rights leader whose commitment to unions, and an end to poverty was a crucial part of his vision of a U.S. revolution of values that addressed U.S. capitalism and imperialism as the roots of todays oppression, exploitation and wars)

Public Reading of Beyond Vietnam Speech

April 4, 2017, marked the 50th anniversary of the landmark Beyond Vietnam Speech by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Dr. King challenged racism, economic exploitation and militarism in this historic speech. Black Workers for Justice organized a public reading of Beyond Vietnam Speech in Martin Luther King Garden in Raleigh on April 4, 2017. Speakers from UE Local 150, Black Youth Project, NC NAACP, Muslims for Social Justice, SURJ - Triangle (Showing Up for Racial Justice) and allies read passages from the speech.