Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2023
Dear Howard University Community,
In his acclaimed “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. cautioned us all: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
On its face, the letter is straightforwardly somber, a direct response to Southern religious leaders who were expressing greater concern with the civil rights demonstrations being led by Dr. King than the “conditions that brought the demonstrations into being.” For context, Dr. King had been arrested alongside fellow protesters in Birmingham, Alabama, for disobeying laws they believed unjust, and during his detainment, he learned that local clergymen had chosen to mobilize against him and his methods of nonviolent resistance. Dr. King was openly disappointed in a variety of actors and systems operating in bad faith, and he could hardly contain that disappointment as he ruminated on the outlook of racism and segregation in an increasingly interconnected America.
Yet, a closer reading of Dr. King’s words yields a more optimistic tone. “I have no despair about the future,” Dr. King wrote. “We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom. … We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands.”
As we celebrate Dr. King’s 94th birthday, it is evident that many of his listed concerns in the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” have yet to be adequately addressed. Even at the time he penned the letter, while much on the topic of civil rights had been achieved, not nearly enough had tangibly changed. But instead of feeling dismayed by the deferment of his dream, Dr. King was encouraged by the clarity of his foresight and his confidence in the people who would carry it forward, because he knew movements of this magnitude are never defined by one man alone.
Dr. King understood that a movement is a collective effort that requires all of us to act in concert with one another; although we may have different instruments, unique purposes, and personalized missions, we must move forward to the beat of the same drum, united in ambition and vision. For all of us here at Howard, Dr. King is an undeniable source of inspiration, and our University motto – “Veritas et Utilitas,” or “Truth and Service” – speaks directly to his mission of ensuring freedom and justice for all. Once again, we find ourselves fighting the same fights as generations past. With so many of our unalienable rights suddenly on the line, from voting to reproduction, we are now in a position where we must reclaim those freedoms, and our best chance at victory is not by going it alone, but by working together.
Dr. King uniquely understood how to synthesize the power of words and deeds to generate the desired results. And despite the endless challenges, obstacles, and injustices Dr. King faced throughout his lifetime, he never lost his belief in the power of humanity. As we pause today to honor his life, let us remember his lessons, so that we may continue the forward march that he started in his lifetime.
Coincidentally, 2023 marks 60 years since Dr. King penned his famous letter from a Birmingham jail cell. So, as I close, please allow me to rearrange Dr. King’s words just a bit: “Justice anywhere is a threat to injustice everywhere.” It is my sincerest hope that not only are each of us in the Howard community inspired by Dr. King, but that we feel emboldened to threaten injustice everywhere we go.
Excellence in Truth and Service,
Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA
Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery
President