by jpitney | Jan 16, 2023 | African American, Civil Rights, Uncategorized
Daniel Stid: We have to avoid the temptation to domesticate Martin Luther King Jr. It is comforting to see him only as the aspirational dreamer of a color-blind society, a vision especially reassuring to white Americans, and leave things at that. But there was a...
by jpitney | Jan 17, 2022 | civic virtue, Civil Rights, Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Patriotism, Religion
The “I Have a Dream” speech contains many references and allusions to key ideas, sites, and documents of American civic culture. The text below contains relevant links in red. Many passages in the speech refer or allude to Bible verses, spiritual songs,...
by jpitney | Jan 17, 2022 | Civil Rights
Letter from a Birmingham Jail: Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But...
by jpitney | Aug 28, 2021 | Civil Rights, Claremont McKenna College
My great uncle, Rabbi Joachim Prinz, helped organize the March on Washington with John Lewis and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 and marched with them that day. RIP John Lewis, an inspiration for anyone interested in social justice and peace....