Stories
I was inspired to write this poem, “A Black and White World” after a recent visit to the National Civil Rights Museum. As I walked through the museum, I felt grateful for everything that the elders (like Dr. King) did…
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My grandmother Marianne O’Connor worked with Civil Rights leaders Clara Luper in Oklahoma City to help start the lunch counter movement there. Her daughter, my aunt Lora, has brought me to many civil rights and social…
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I was a 14 year old when Dr. King was murdered and I recall attending the ceremony at Crump stadium in which Rev. Hooks’ and Rev. Lawson’s eulogies left me and my father in tears.
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The issue of decent housing is more than the quality of the physical dwelling people live in, but also the surrounding community. In modern America, we are impacted by a legacy of housing policies that affect…
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The United States has roughly 70 million Americans who have been convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony. Of course with each conviction, all crimes are different, however regardless of how non-threatening the crime is…
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In 1968, Dr. King came to Memphis, to help with the Sanitation Workers Strike. The Memphis garbage collectors were underpaid, overworked, and didn’t have proper uniforms or working equipment.
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” King’s philosophy reveals that we achieve the goal of peace through nonviolence.
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At some point in their lives, most people will be in the position of seeking employment. Whether a high school or college graduate looking for part-time employment or internship, or an experienced worker embarking on a…
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Mass incarceration is a major civil rights issue. A primary reason for the surge in the American prison population is the federal law mandating minimum sentencing.
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According to the Urban Institute, “Many households struggle to afford a decent, safe place to live. Since 2000, rent has risen as the number of renters needing affordable housing has increased.
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Think about it. There has been at least one teacher who greatly impacted your life, right? Most of us can recall our favorite teachers because of the way they positively motivated, encouraged and pushed us to reach our…
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Recent census data states there has been a decline in poverty in the U.S. over the last two years. A healthy economy is certainly necessary to fight poverty, but history suggests that public policy reforms are also…