On Monday January 20th, many will gather to pay tribute to a man who might be best described as prophet of peace, love and justice, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 听
America鈥檚 founding fathers pledged to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor, in defense of liberty and freedom. Martin Luther King, Jr. was called upon to proclaim his vision for liberty and freedom in the land for all its inhabitants, and to extend the message of love and peace with justice and reconciliation to all nations. King鈥檚 vision might best be described as 鈥淭he Beloved Community鈥� or 鈥淲orld House.鈥� 听
In 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr. finished his last full-length book, and he was assassinated the following year on April 4, 1968. Interestingly, the title of his last published book was: 鈥淲here do we go from here: Chaos or Community.鈥� King鈥檚 international travel and human rights involvement brought into听focus a vision of his concept of the 鈥渂eloved community鈥� or the 鈥淲orld House,鈥� and this was his vision of the growing intersections of a world shrinking daily. 听
After he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963, he said 鈥淚 now had to give a great deal of attention to these three problems confronting humankind: radical justice around the world, poverty, and war. Though each, appeared to be separate and isolated, all were interwoven into a single garment of [humanity鈥檚] destiny.鈥澨� King said, 鈥淲e have inherited a large house, a great 鈥榳orld house鈥� in which we have to live together鈥攂lack and white, Easterner and Westerner, Gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Moslem and Hindu鈥攁 family unduly separated in ideas, culture and interest, who, because we can never again live apart, must learn somehow to live with each other in peace.鈥�听
听In the words of the prophet Isaiah, 鈥溾�hen every mountain and hill shall be made low, the Crooked shall be made straight, then the rough places plain, and the gory of the Lord shall be revealed.鈥� Let us work to keep King鈥檚 vision of hope alive!听
Dr. Terriel Byrd, a retired Professor of Urban Ministry at 黑料社区 (黑料社区), served at 黑料社区 for 23 years. In January 2024, he joined 黑料社区鈥檚 Board of Trustees. Dr. Byrd also started a scholarship to provide academic funding for students of color. To be a part of impacting students at 黑料社区, click here to contribute to the Dr. Terriel Byrd Scholarship Fund. 听
On Monday, January 20, 黑料社区 celebrates MLK Day by continuing its tradition of an MLK Day of Service in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County to organize 24 community service projects across Palm Beach County to support non-profits and other organizations across the community.听
