Honoring a Legacy
January 15, 2024
Today, as we pause to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I am reminded of how deeply he cared for others. He was a Christian minister, a husband and a father, yet he sacrificed his time and life to fight against injustice. His passion and commitment to racial equality and civil rights continue to be a North Star, a beacon for the entire world to emulate.
Dr. King was a rare transformative figure with a vision that inspired passion and activism. Following Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence, he led peaceful efforts to eliminate oppressive systems and discrimination. His leadership and message of love encouraged people to embrace and support each other, appreciate differences, and take action for the sake of humanity. Propelled by his faith, Dr. King led peaceful sit-ins, marches, bus boycotts, and more in his quest to achieve equality for all. I invite you to recall the major events of Dr. King’s life through this chronology compiled by the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.
The March on Selma was a pivotal point in Dr. King’s lifetime and for civil rights in the U.S. When activists from across the country gathered in March 1965 to demand voting rights for Black Americans, their planned march across the Edmund Pettus bridge was halted by state troopers who launched tear gas and bullets at the peaceful group. As a result, 17 individuals were hospitalized and another 40 were injured. National television coverage exposed the public to the realities of deep-seated racism in the South at the time. Two weeks later, Dr. King returned to Selma and, accompanied by 3200 activists from across the country, marched 49 miles to the state capitol in Montgomery to protest the treatment of Blacks and demand civil rights for Black Americans.
As an organization that strives to empower young women to change the world, we have in Dr. King a positive, active and service-oriented role model. I am deeply appreciative and humbled by the brave actions of Dr. King, who sacrificed so much to advance civil rights and equality, as did many others at the time, including our very own Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.
Three sisters from the CSJ St. Louis Province played an important role in the Selma movement. They, along with other American nuns, defied authority and raised their voices in support of the dear neighbor and in alignment with Catholic Social Teaching. I marvel at how they put their lives and professions at risk to advocate for equality and voting rights when many leaders – religious and civil – would not speak out.
St. Teresa’s Academy has an impactful mission focused on education, faith and empowerment. It is through faith that we continue to be inspired to combat hate and injustice. These sisters demonstrated the mission and the charism to love the dear neighbor without distinction in Selma. Their bravery and selflessness serve as an inspiration not only for our community, but for everyone. Hear their story in Women of Justice: Selma, a brief video highlighting their experiences
Sisters Barbara Moore, Rosemary Flanigan and Roberta Schmidt (1928-2019)
While our country has made great strides since the Selma demonstrations 60 years ago, it is essential to continue working to expand and protect civil rights. We must continue to pursue diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging – on our campus, in our communities, across the nation and globally. We must be willing to have courageous conversations and continue to work daily toward equality for all.
As the charism of our founders implores us to love the dear neighbor without distinction, Dr. King’s sacrifices further compel us to put this charism into action. In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Dr. King remarked, “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.”
We honor Dr. King’s legacy by serving and caring for others, standing up for what is right, and never giving up hope for a better future. Dr. King pursued righteousness and not ambition in his efforts to serve others. So, too, should we. It is our duty to continue his good works.
God Bless,
Dr. Siabhan May-Washington
President
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4