MLK Day: A Day of Reflection and Resistance

The political atmosphere in the US is tense, and this year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day is no exception. While some people are focusing on King's message of unity, others are using the day to protest against current policies.

Key Developments

Policy Changes and Protests

• Executive Orders: Last year, the president signed executive orders that rolled back civil rights and racial justice initiatives.
• National Park Service: This year, the National Park Service announced it will no longer offer free admission to parks on King Day and Juneteenth, but instead on Flag Day and the president's birthday.
• ICE Shooting: The shooting of an unarmed woman by ICE agents and the president's recent comments about civil rights have intensified fears of a regression from the social progress King and others advocated for.

Events and Responses

• King Holiday Events: Despite concerns, many King holiday events are still planned for this year.
• Conservative Admirers: Some conservative admirers of King say the holiday should be a reminder of his plea that all people be judged by their character and not their skin color.
• Black Advocacy Groups: However, some Black advocacy groups are vowing a day of resistance and rallies nationwide.

Organizational Statements

• NAACP: The NAACP, the nation's oldest civil rights organization, asserted that the heightened fears among communities of color and in immigrant communities mean King Day observances must take a different tone. People will have to put their safety first, even if their government isn't, said Wisdom Cole, NAACP senior national director of advocacy.
• Movement for Black Lives: The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of organizations affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement, has planned its events under the banner "Reclaim MLK Day of Action." Organizers planned demonstrations in Atlanta, Chicago, and Oakland, California, among other cities, over the weekend and Monday.

Institutional Responses

• Indiana University: Indiana University in Indianapolis canceled its annual Martin Luther King dinner for the first time in its 60-year history. The reasoning was "budget constraints," according to a social media post by the school's Black Student Union. However, the group said it was worried this was "connected to broader political pressures."
• National Civil Rights Museum: Overall, there have been few reports of King Day events being majorly scaled down or canceled altogether. In Memphis, Tennessee, the National Civil Rights Museum is going about its annual King Day celebration as normal. The museum is offering free admission on the holiday, an annual tradition.