April 4 -- Dream, Deferred
I know I mentioned being rife to use the same topic – or person – in consecutive days, but this is one that was very necessary… I mean, I COULD have gone on about Muddy Waters or Maya Angelou’s birthdays, but I am pretty sure that if either of them were still alive today, they would rather I discuss this instead.
[Phlip note – I know Maya Angelou is still alive and actually lives in the next county over from me, allow me to make my jokes in peace]
Anyway…
As alluded to in his speech the night before, it seemed that Dr. King – not too dissimilar to ‘Pac and Biggie – spoke of his demise as if it were imminent. Yes, I just compared Dr. King, a real martyr to two rappers whose behaviors may have had a hand in their own deaths. As it were, the initial plans - changed at the 11th hour according to this bust at the end of the street named in his honor here in town – were that Dr. King was to come to Greensboro and speak at Trinity AME Zion Church in its former location on Preddy Blvd. (now MLK Jr. Drive).
Going to Memphis instead, Dr. King spoke of the end being near and not being afraid of what might happen. The next day (today’s date), he was gunned down at his hotel.
Speaking of Maya Angelou, she has been quoted as saying that because of this event, she does not “celebrate” her birthday, and I fully understand why to be totally honest. It is difficult, and quite selfish, to celebrate on a date where a community that you very much belong to lost one of it’s most willing and brave leaders.
I could continue in on this subject, but the fact remains that it is one, if not the ONLY one we hear every year from the bank Holiday we get in Mid-January clear through all of February. It just so happened to be the most major event coinciding with today’s date on the calendar.
[Phlip note – I know Maya Angelou is still alive and actually lives in the next county over from me, allow me to make my jokes in peace]
Anyway…
As alluded to in his speech the night before, it seemed that Dr. King – not too dissimilar to ‘Pac and Biggie – spoke of his demise as if it were imminent. Yes, I just compared Dr. King, a real martyr to two rappers whose behaviors may have had a hand in their own deaths. As it were, the initial plans - changed at the 11th hour according to this bust at the end of the street named in his honor here in town – were that Dr. King was to come to Greensboro and speak at Trinity AME Zion Church in its former location on Preddy Blvd. (now MLK Jr. Drive).
Going to Memphis instead, Dr. King spoke of the end being near and not being afraid of what might happen. The next day (today’s date), he was gunned down at his hotel.
Speaking of Maya Angelou, she has been quoted as saying that because of this event, she does not “celebrate” her birthday, and I fully understand why to be totally honest. It is difficult, and quite selfish, to celebrate on a date where a community that you very much belong to lost one of it’s most willing and brave leaders.
I could continue in on this subject, but the fact remains that it is one, if not the ONLY one we hear every year from the bank Holiday we get in Mid-January clear through all of February. It just so happened to be the most major event coinciding with today’s date on the calendar.
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