The MLK Speech You Haven’t Heard

www.ozy.com [OZY]( OZY A Modern Media Company Share This Sh*t January 16, 2023 Share This Sh*t [The drop]( THE MLK SPEECH YOU HAVEN’T HEARD Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. revolutionized the use of nonviolent resistance to combat racial injustice in the United States. To honor his day of commemoration, we recall some lesser-known stories from his life and wisdom. Sponsored by [Cariuma]( The First Time MLK Spoke at the Lincoln Memorial As thousands gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial, a young Southern reverend named Martin Luther King Jr. stood behind the podium. “We must meet hate with love,” he implored his audience in a lofty baritone. A murmuring of approval could be heard. “We must meet physical force with soul force.” A slightly louder chorus of amens and affirmation. But, for the most part, there was a sea of silence over the National Mall — reverential silence. Although far less well-known than his I Have a Dream address, the Give Us the Ballot speech was no less eloquent, and perhaps as consequential. This was not the speech you’re thinking of. On the same spot in Washington, D.C., six years later, King would permanently write his name in the annals of American history. But on this particular day in May 1957, he did not have a dream to share, but a demand to America’s leaders: Give us the ballot. King was the headline speaker at what was billed as the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom, a hastily organized religious gathering meant to test the waters of large-scale public civil rights demonstrations — and to give the charismatic preacher his first national audience. Although far less well-known than his I Have a Dream address, the [Give Us the Ballot]( speech was no less eloquent, and perhaps as consequential. The Prayer Pilgrimage did not immediately speed up the pace of justice in the nation’s capital, but it did launch King to the forefront of the civil rights movement, and it showed that large, peaceful marches and demonstrations could work. The event proved to be the perfect lead-up to King’s triumphant return to the Lincoln Memorial six years later. [READ MORE ON OZY]( ADVERTISEMENT [RIDE THE WAVE OF NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS]( Looking fresh in the new year atop your list of new years resolutions? Then look no further, because [Cariuma]( has got you covered, with a California style that will bring warm vibes to your feet while winter carries on. 🏖️  Meet OCA Low – a tried and true classic bringing the heat with a timeless design providing skaters and surfers everywhere a crazy-comfy, go-to look. They’re sustainable and durable, with a premium look and feel. Crafted with high-end, raw materials (shout out to the premium soft suede from LWG-certified tanneries). An added bonus…slip-resistant rubber on the bottom makes them perfect for those frosty days! Hurry and grab a pair before they’re gone! Enter code [OZYJAN]( at checkout for an additional 15% off. [HANG LOOSE!]( When MLK Went to (a Divided) Berlin King spoke of the need for people to “break down the dividing wall of hostility which separates them from their brothers” in front of more than 20,000 people in a West Berlin amphitheater on Sept. 13, 1964. Just months before, King had celebrated the enactment of America’s landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned discrimination. Yet the same words repeated a few hours later in two overcrowded churches in East Berlin produced breathless silence. Because for many citizens of the German Democratic Republic, the “dividing wall” was more than a metaphor. King rushed to the scene, gave interviews and talked to the inhabitants of a West Berlin apartment block that had been hit by numerous bullets. King had the opportunity to see this divide with his own eyes when a young East German man was shot while crossing the border but pulled over the wall to freedom by a U.S. soldier. King rushed to the scene, gave interviews and talked to the inhabitants of a West Berlin apartment block that had been hit by numerous bullets. In the end, King and his great oratorical skills would have an impact far beyond American shores. His visit is remembered in Berlin to this day. [READ MORE ON OZY]( ADVERTISEMENT [SUSTAINABLY SATISFY YOUR COZY CRAVINGS]( Is it possible to make sustainable choices, look amazing, AND have warm feet this winter? Cool, sustainable sneaker brand, [Cariuma](, says yes indeed! Designed for ultimate comfort when the temperature plummets, Cariuma’s Caturi combines consciously-sourced materials like vegan suede, providing you with top-quality water-repellent performance and cozy shearling to keep your feet warm this winter. Cariuma definitely upped the cozy factor on this sneaker, but they’re even throwing in 2 pairs of laces with each pair – making these stylish winter kicks 100% you and 100% cozy. We also can’t forget to mention that with every pair of sneakers purchased, 2 trees are planted in Brazil, as part of Cariuma’s Reforestation Program. We can on and on (and on and on) about all of the awesome features that Cariuma packs into each pair of kicks. Take our word for it, you need the Caturi in your closet this winter. Here at OZY we don’t gatekeep anything and we want you to know that these sneakers never go on sale but to warm toes everywhere, we’ve snagged you a code for 15% off. Use code [OZYJAN](at checkout. [SHOP NOW]( NOW STREAMING FROM OZY STUDIO The Surprising Psychology of Nonviolence In the last years of his life, King was beginning to doubt the promise of his own famous dream. By the late 1960s, many in the Black community were growing impatient with the slowing pace of change after the initial progress achieved by the American civil rights movement. King was often booed during his speeches or greeted by chants of “Black Power.” Depression was one of the reasons he was able to change the world. King was traveling constantly, working at a frantic pace and having trouble sleeping. He was also severely depressed, often expressing despair. King’s troubles can be heard in the [final sermon]( he gave in Memphis on April 3, 1968 — the evening before his assassination — in which he informed his audience that he had seen the “Promised Land,” but “may not get there with you.” King battled depression repeatedly in his life. And, as we cover in an [episode]( of The Thread podcast, depression was one of the reasons he was able to change the world. [READ MORE ON OZY]( What do you think was the most inspiring thing that Dr. King did? 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