Ijeoma Oluo: MLK and ‘an anger born from love’
This year will mark the 50
th
anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today, the United States celebrates the birth of the great non-violence activist and civil rights leader. The federal holiday was signed into law in 1983 by President Reagan, but it wasn’t until the year 2000 that all 50 states officially observed the holiday.
For 45 years, Seattle has honored Dr. King with a celebration of his life and call to continued action. The event includes music, poetry, awards and a keynote address. This year’s speaker was Seattle writer Ijeoma Oluo, the author of the new book “So You Want to Talk About Race.” Her speech addresses MLK’s legacy and the state of non-violence in 2018.
The 45
th
Annual Community Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., presented by Seattle Colleges, was held on January 12 at Mount Zion Baptist Church. Sonya Harris recorded the event.
Listen to the full version below:
-
John O'Brien
Senior Producer, All Things Considered
John O’Brien is KUOW's All Things Considered Senior Producer. He spends his days setting up interviews with newsmakers on subjects from politics and public health to arts and culture. John learned to make radio starting in 2006 as an intern on KUOW’s The Conversation with Ross Reynolds.
More stories from John O'Brien »
