Honoring MLK / Committing to the Work ahead (Jan. 2022 re-issue)
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Greetings!
We are at a dangerous moment in our lives. We must gather ourselves together for action.
We must see the danger hovering around us out of the desperation of white privilege.
Our success as a nation during and after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is threatened.
We must gather together to keep our positive movements going forward.
We cannot wait for others to free us or support us. We must be at the front of the march (in similar ways as Martin) pushing down the wrongs and evils of those who feel threatened by a true democracy of equality and justice.
We call on schools, businesses, churches, families and individuals to rid themselves of the hate and fear that they have of equality, justice, the truths of our nation’s history, and join together as one nation, indivisible, with justice and freedom for all.
We celebrate the national holiday, named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as a day for all of us to celebrate the same nation for all of us—equal rights, equal opportunity resulting in equal experiences. But we all must work toward that truth. Stand up for equality and justice. Speak out against our nation’s past injustices. Stand together as AMERICANS, not as a nation of separate people. Slavery was wrong—segregation was wrong—equality, justice and liberty for all is the true American way.
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We must “…Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, Let us march on till victory is won.”
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"The time to work seriously and collectively, to improve the state of our Community, is upon us..."
Let's Continue the Work
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We, as a people, will get to the promised land...
However, we must recognize that it will take our collective efforts to get there.
Through these tireless efforts, we honor Martin Luther King, Jr., the man, his work, his heart, spirit and courage, his legacy.
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On this day of service that recognizes the work, the compassion, the faith, activism, determination, leadership and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., these songs, performed by Andra Day, Common, and the Cardinal Shehan School Choir, cry out for us to:
"Rise up unafraid...."
'cause,
"it all means nothing, if you don't stand up for something..."
And that is the stone COAL truth.
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The following is taken from a commentary in COAL News vol. Jan. 2013:
We cannot legislate racism away; fear of the Other starts in childhood and only deep changes in our society can eradicate it. We can, however, stop enabling it. We have to heed a cry of conscience that has echoed over the past century – from W.E.B. DuBois, from Martin Luther King and from Nelson Mandela, and remember the famous warning of the 18-century English conservative Edmund Burke. “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
- Clarence N. Wood and Bruce Hatton Boyer are President and Senior Fellow, respectively, of Urban Strategies Global, a Chicago-based think tank
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About COAL
COAL is an umbrella organization founded by 13 of Chicago's historic African American mens clubs. COAL's overarching mission is to identify, examine, illuminate and find resolution to issues impacting the greater community. We strive to use our collective experience, expertise and resources to improve the quality of opportunity, quality of preparedness and the quality of outcomes (expressed as 'quality of life') for our Community.
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Founding Member Organizations
100 Black Men Of Chicago ■ Chicago Assembly ■ Chicago Connection ■ Druids Club ■ Frogs Club ■ Lunch Bunch ■ New Committee ■ Original 40 Club Of Chicago ■ Rat Pack ■ Royal Coterie Of Snakes ■ Saints ■ Sigma Pi Phi Beta-Boule ■ UIC Male Forum (now Chicago Good Health Group)
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What We Believe
The Coalition of African American Leaders believes that it is important to examine the critical issues confronting the African American community where injustice, inequality and the absence of access and opportunity continue to prevail, thereby negatively impacting us as a people.
COAL is an assemblage that advocates and organizes for appropriate and responsible public policy change, system behavior change and equality of opportunity. We aim to achieve for all of our people the fullness of the life experience without any form of racism or exclusion as a deterrent.
We believe we must prepare ourselves for the opportunity of this full participation, thereby achieving the necessary education and training to participate.
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Contact: Clarence Wood, Chairman 312.404.8269 - Craig K. Wimberly, President 773.350.9315
Email: publicpolicy@coalchicago.com
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COAL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in Illinois, USA.
Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by U.S. law.
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