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Arnold Lewis is an assistant professor of political science at The College of Wooster. He specializes in policy analysis and implementation; the political economy of race; state and local economic development policy; and legislative behavior. He has presented his research on voting rights policy and minority legislative affairs at several professional meetings. He has also chaired several panels on these issues. Currently, he is examining the impact of state and local economic development programs on minority entrepreneurship.
Lewis received his bachelor's degree from Florida A&M University and
went on to earn his master's degree and Ph.D. from Florida State
University. He joined the faculty at Wooster in 1998.
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Now that another Martin Luther King, Jr., celebration has come and gone, one has to wonder whether America truly understands his impact on the Civil Rights Movement, or whether the occasion has become just another holiday. As the nation prepares to mark Black History Month in February, Arnold Lewis, assistant professor of political science at The College of Wooster, recalls King's efforts in trying to bring about racial equality and his legacy for today's political leaders. How did Martin Luther King, Jr., emerge as such a significant leader? There was a significant need at that time for a person who could connect the various local civil rights movements taking place in America during the 1950s. Dr. King's mastery of the art of communication coupled with his dignified public presence gave him a distinct advantage over other leaders of his day. He knew how to connect with members of his audiences (both black and white) in a very personal way. He not only connected with their minds, but he also had the ability to connect to their souls. Additionally, his youthful appearance, charisma, and anonymity among black leadership at that time enabled him to tap into the various civil rights campaigns that were emerging in isolation across the country and develop a national voice that could effectively nationalize the struggle of the black community. Was there a central theme to King's messages? The common thread that seemed to weave through all of Dr. King's lectures, sermons, and speeches was the importance of the individual connecting with the broader community. In addressing society's social, political, and economic ills, he always stressed the individual as a core entity that should be valued. King was concerned with the creation of a "Just Society" where all of humanity was equitably valued. Like many philosophers and theologians, over his lifetime he became more and more concerned about the emphasis society placed on the personal pursuit of material wealth. He began raising questions about the moral obligations of the state to its citizens and became disheartened by the ascendancy of a race-based conservatism in America in the late 1960s. Thus, immediately following the instances of civil unrest in the mid-1960s, Dr. King cautioned that white society must recognize that its fate is intertwined with the fate of black society and to ignore this would be perilous. He asserted that individuals (black or white) only reach their full potential when they realize the personal (spiritual and secular) value of their connections to the larger community. What was the key to King's effectiveness during the Civil Rights Movement? In addition to Dr. King's superb communication and leadership qualities, the most significant factor that influenced his efficacy was the presence of a "critical mass" of black activism. The Great Migrations of the 1910s and 1940s-50s gave the black community a substantial presence in the North. Galvanized by the promises of the New Deal, expanded economic opportunities in defense-related industries and an uneasy alliance with organized labor, northern blacks became more involved in Northern politics and eventually emerged by the 1950s as a significant broker of the fortunes of the Democratic Party at the national level. This growing activism and influential presence in the North was complimented by similar efforts in the South. For example, the number of blacks who registered to vote in the Jim Crow South continued to grow despite the certain risk of white reprisal. Many local black community leaders orchestrated these efforts under the duress of death threats and physical rebuke. Thus, the activists' desires were present in both regions. What was needed was a national facilitator who could till this fertile ground. Thus, the conditions were ripe for the emergence of a mass-based movement. What was his most significant political achievement? Dr. King's most significant political accomplishment was his ability to assuage the fears among many local civil rights leaders that he was only interested in usurping their role in their respective local campaigns or that his presence would undermine their activities. Thus, he served as a connective tissue that brought the movement under one umbrella (if only for a brief moment) and greatly strengthened it. Although he was still viewed with some skepticism by some black leaders, few would argue that the Civil Rights Movement would have been as successful without him. What is his legacy for present-day America? In a material sense, Dr. King's writings, speeches, lectures, and other archival materials provide a sort of legacy. These items document his remarkable journey and provide a wealth of information, which I would have to say, has been underutilized in many respects. Using these resources, we could gain insight, not only into the state of America during the Civil Rights Movement, but also the world in which we live today. For example, his speech titled "The Casualties of the Vietnam War" provides an interesting and alternative lens through which we could view the relationships between the current domestic and foreign policy decisions America faces and those of the 1960s. Furthermore, upon reviewing his writings and speeches, it is clear that he thought of America as a democratic experiment in progress. For Dr. King, democracy was not a destination, but a process that required committed advocates to assist its evolution, despite any personal costs one might incur. Thus, his ultimate legacy may be that his life reminds us that democracy in America is still evolving and that we all have a responsibility to contribute to this process. |
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