On Wednesday, January 24th, the CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Derrick Johnson spoke on the enduring legacy of MLK and his commitment to justice and equality for all. To begin the talk, Johnson noted that he is a leader and catalyst for equality and justice. He remarked that it is important to commemorate the legacy of MLK at this time more than ever; MLK was only 39 when he died, and was still in the midst of a social and cultural upheaval that continues to the present day.
The speaker’s family migrated from the south to Detroit and this allowed his family to secure a stronger safety net for their loved ones. In 1909, the NAACP was founded in Niagara, Canada. Johnson emphasized that we, as a people, need to go together and provide love and nourishment for everyone. He also stressed that showing up is important and that all voices should be heard and are equally important to the civil rights movement. The youth activists, he argued, set the stage for tomorrow and he cited voting as the most critical part of the democracy process.
The leadership of MLK, he noted, was that MLK was an ordinary individual who did extraordinary things. However, it is important to recognize the other names that are relevant in this fight as well. The fight never stopped for African Americans and their journey for political and moral freedom, he also noted. When asked about how the legacy of the NAACP relates to the conflicts surrounding us today, Johnson stated that all different conflicts affect us and what can look like a war in Gaza one day leads to white supremacy and violence the next. He hinted that the Pittsburgh shooting targeting Jews and other acts of white supremacy are down the road with the conflicts present and encourage hateful and spiteful behavior.
This event was able to capture a wide audience and spoke well on the legacy of MLK, despite the event being rescheduled due to a snowstorm. Even with a delay in the speaker arriving, attendees stayed for the event and listened to the wise words Johnson gave around equality and justice. The office of Intercultural Affairs has more talks planned for the future, including an identity dialogue focused on: “Do all women athletes think the same?” scheduled for Thursday, February 1st in Olin 115.
