Today, we honor the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by continuing his unfinished work to redeem the soul of America.

Dr. King came of age in the South during a time when racial discrimination was the law of the land. Black Americans risked jail time for accessing public accommodations like drinking fountains, parks, restrooms, restaurants, and hotels. Their voting rights were denied by complicated, onerous, and discriminatory rules. Even if they attempted to register to vote, they could be fired from their jobs, be run off of their farms, or face vigilante violence.

Dr. King imagined a different future for America — an America he called the “Beloved Community.” Building the Beloved Community required a key shift in human understanding. It meant looking beyond external differences to see the union of all humankind. It also meant finding a way to deal with our grievances without animosity, in a way that recognized the interconnectedness of all humanity and allowed us to move forward together.

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