Activist Yolanda Renee King is carrying on the work of her famous grandfather, Martin Luther King, Jr. The middle school student advocates passionately for key civil rights issues, including voting rights. She urges educators and young people not to just glorify her grandfather’s memory, but to closely study his actions to understand how he accomplished his goals. Listen to hear a committed young activist reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and how it continues to inspire her.
Story Length: 3:25
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January 12, 2021
5:58
Martin Luther King, Jr. practiced nonviolent protest and advocated for racial harmony. The racism and violence he experienced throughout his life, however, sometimes filled him with rage. King believed anger could be a useful, positive force if it was channeled productively. Listen to hear more about MLK, Jr.’s views on the strong emotion of anger and how he used it to help him accomplish his goals.
Read MoreSeptember 24, 2020
7:04
Systemic racism, also called structural racism, refers to the way institutions in our society are set up to disadvantage black Americans. Often the racist systems are rooted in the past, such as the “redlining” system banks used in the early 20th century to refuse housing loans to people of color, but they created racial inequities still felt today. George Floyd’s death prompted protesters and others to call attention to systemic racism in policing, education, criminal justice, medicine, and other key societal institutions. Listen to a writer explain how systemic racism works to keep minorities from advancing, and what she believes could lead to meaningful change.
Read MoreApril 18, 2018
11:52
Fifty years ago Martin Luther King, Jr. flew to Memphis to support sanitation workers during a strike. In 1968 the working conditions were so dangerous for trash collectors that two men were killed on the job. The workers organized to demand better working conditions and higher pay. In a climate of racism they demanded to be treated with humanity and respect as men. When King traveled to Memphis, he was assassinated. Listen to this story to hear how Memphis has changed in the last 50 years.
Read MoreJanuary 19, 2015
4:42
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we remember this icon through the eyes of his eldest son. Martin Luther King III shares childhood memories of a segregated amusement park, forging his own path while honoring his father’s legacy, and more. This public radio story features audio from the civil rights era and Martin Luther King III himself.
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