Smarter in Seconds: Stop using Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words against rights advocates

NOTE: Dr. King is the only American who did not serve as president to have a holiday in their honor. Columbus Day is not yet officially Indigenous Peoples Day.
Due to anti-Blackness and tokenization, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s incredible legacy is often whitewashed and mischaracterized. His words are weaponized to silence human rights advocates. This happens because oppressive societies often villainize those who are working to disrupt and dismantle systems of harm.
When Dr. King was assassinated in 1968, he had a public disapproval rating of nearly 75%. (1968 Harris Poll) Fifty years later, 94% viewed him favorably (2011 Gallup Poll). Thanks to the relentless advocacy of human rights leader Coretta Scott King, he’s also the only American who did not serve as president to have a federally recognized holiday. And he has countless schools, parks, and roads named after him.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an incredible person who spoke truth to power. He organized against war, poverty, police violence, white supremacy and more.
Stop using his words and legacy to silence the people he would’ve fought alongside. It’s racist.
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