Honoring Dr. King

by Sr. Mary Ann Zimmer, ND

I am reading Marshall Frady’s biography of Dr. King, and it has made me question what it means to observe this holiday for such an iconic figure. In the back of my mind, I keep hearing a well-known quote from Dorothy Day. “Don’t call me a saint,” she once said, “I don’t want to be dismissed that easily.”

Each January I usually honor Dr. King by posting his inspiring sayings, noble photographs, and iconic videos, but do these honor Dr. King or am I “easily dismissing” him as ultra-heroic and thus far removed from my own call to act justly?

In Frady’s biography the author does not limit himself simply to the heroic or iconic King. Rather he includes Dr. King’s fear and self-doubt, he describes those attempts at change that did not have successful results, the guilt he expressed at exposing others to suffering, and his infidelities. Frady describes the expectation King carried for years that every public appearance could be his moment of death.

To my mind these human realities do not tarnish Dr. King’s legacy, rather they force me to ask whether I am letting myself off the hook too easily. If King could carry out his difficult work while bearing the burdens of his own human frailty, who am I to say that I can’t exercise courage in the name of racial justice and human dignity?

  • Can I confront, in whatever way is me, a friend or family member who makes a racist or homophobic remark?
  • Can I put in the time and effort to learn more about the history and sociology of U.S. racism so that I am better able to reject stereotypes with confidence? Can I invite my friends and family to study with me?
  • Can I expand my limited circle of acquaintances and put myself in situations where I might have my ignorance exposed or have to deal with having offended someone?
  • Am I willing to shed my ignorance about the racist history of my faith community?

To face my human frailty and act for justice anyway is my pledge this year as I honor Dr. King.

Resources
Marshall Frady, Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Life, Penguin Books, 2002.
Rachel L. Swarns. The 272: The Families who were enslaved and sold to build the American Catholic Church, Random House, 2023.
Shannen Dee Williams, Subversive Habits: Black Catholic Nuns in the Long African American Freedom Struggle, Duke University Press, 2022.

The followling link includes related links (scroll to the bottom of page) if you are interested in reading further:  https://www.dukeupress.edu/subversive-habits