Martin Luther King, Jr. Business Owners Still Fulfilling the Dream

written on January 20, 2012 by Tameka Taylor

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This week we’re celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968). He was born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later changed his name to Martin. He served as the co-pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta after following in the footsteps of his dad and grandfather. He was educated in the segregated Georgia public schools, where he graduated at the age of fifteen, and got his B.A. from Morehouse College like his father and grandfather. He studied theology at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Dr. King won a fellowship to do his graduate studies at Boston University. While he was in Boston he met and married his wife Coretta Scott and to this union two sons and two daughters were born. Until his death he made it his full time work to fight for the inequalities and Civil Rights for all non-violently. This required him to sacrifice being at home with his family and when at home he was preparing to help others. He has gotten so many awards and gave so many speeches; please take the time to learn more about his life. While he lived for only 39 years before being assassinated, he had a full, rich life and gave so much of himself. (Source: "Martin Luther King - Biography". Nobelprize.org. 17 Jan 2012).

At this point you may be saying what does this have to do with me as a business owner in 2012, 43 years after Dr.King’s death? It has a lot to do with you. We’ve got an African American President, President Barack Obama. All people can live where they want, go to school where they want, and be anything that they want to be. At some level this is true, things are better; however, in some ways things are still the same. Remember Dr. King wasn’t focused on just race but equality of all regardless of their race, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, age, etc. Statistically looking at the unemployment rates, number of people in prisons, etc, it is disproportionate when looking at racial minorities and the economically disadvantaged. There is still so much work to be done to achieve King’s Dream.

As business owners, there are several things that we can do and here’s a few. We can mentor people: youth, young adults and those with less experience than us. We can train those who have great potential but little hands on experience or formal education. We have to employ those who aren’t currently in our circle but need to be brought inside the circle. We can volunteer on boards and with community groups or social service organizations to help others. Additionally, we can make monetary donations and in-kind donations to organizations that make the difference in lives of others. As business owners we can’t think that because we’ve got ours that we can’t remember others or reach back to bring them along. As business owners we have a responsibility to do so. We have a responsibility to do our part to make sure that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream is fulfilled. If not us, then who? Make sure you are doing your part as a business owner to continue to help fulfill Dr. King’s Dream.