MLK Jr.’s Words of Freedom

January 14, 2016

Wars have been fought for it. Treaties and pacts have been formed to ensure it. Men and women have sacrificed everything for the chance to experience it. That “it” is freedom.

"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968--In Memoriam," image courtesy of loc.gov

“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968–In Memoriam” (Image source www.loc.gov)

Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in his 1963 Letter from a Birmingham Jail that “freedom is never given voluntarily by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” You must demand it, for it will not be given freely. MLK also believed that liberty most often comes to those who petition for it peacefully. There’s a lion-meets-lamb dichotomy to that struggle. Peacefully-achieved freedom is not safe from threat. It must be as fiercely defended as if it were ardently attained. But because of the peace upon which that freedom is built, its integrity is unassailable.

MLK Jr.’s campaign for civil rights proved that nonviolent yet daring challenges to opinion do work. Halt the forward moving arm of oppression extended by those who dare to infringe civil rights. But do so with through the emancipating, redemptive power of human kindness. It’s a strong precedent of pacifism that Dr. King set. It’s influenced many future aspirations to guarantee the fundamental rights and freedoms of people everywhere.

"March on Washington, August 28, 1963." 1963. Image courtesy of loc.gov

“March on Washington, August 28, 1963.” 1963. (Image source www.loc.gov)

You can learn more about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement in Free at Last: the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. And through an act of Congress, a plaque marking the spot on atop the Lincoln Memorial where Dr. King delivered his famed “I Have A Dream” speech. Both documents are available online through GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Dr. King’s actions supplied a legacy. And his rafter-reaching speeches remain connected to the idea that all people are, to paraphrase The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, free and equal in dignity and rights. Dr. King’s words remind us of the best of what America has accomplished and implore us to never unfix our gaze from the best of what America can be.

You can find other resources related to African American history by clicking here or through any of these methods:

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Our guest blogger is Chelsea Milko, Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

 

1 Comment | African Americans, Human Rights | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

“Out of Many, One”: Citizenship and the Constitution

September 17, 2014

September 17 is Constitution Day, thanks to the efforts of the late Senator Robert C. Byrd, who always carried a copy with him on and off the floor of the Senate. Last year, I blogged about the various editions of the Constitution available as Government publications. This time around, I’ve been thumbing through another publication that helps to put the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and a variety of other documents, speeches, and even songs and poetry, into the bigger picture of what it means to be – or become – an American citizen.

The Citizen’s Almanac: Fundamental Documents, Symbols, and Anthems of the United States, a handsome and very useful little book from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services correctly states that “both native-born and naturalized citizens will find important information on the rights and responsibilities associated with United States citizenship.” It’s an extremely useful collection of songs (The Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, God Bless America), poems (The Concord Hymn, I Hear America Singing, The New Colossus), symbols (the Great Seal of the United States, including an explanation of that impressive but somewhat mystifying “pyramid with an eye in it” device), complete texts or extracts from notable American speeches (the Gettysburg Address, John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream, Ronald Reagan’s Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate), notable Supreme Court decisions (Marbury v Madison, Brown v Board of Education) and much more.

Although the complete text of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and other documents are not included, the brief sections on each put them into context so readers can perceive the continuum of American democracy through time. For new and aspiring citizens, a series of brief biographies of famous Americans who were not born in the U.S. makes for interesting reading. In the entertainment world alone, how many of us think of Marlene Dietrich, Bob Hope, and Celia Cruz in their roles as citizens of the Republic?

The Citizen’s Almanac is a terrific, well-illustrated source for all kinds of information about American history and citizenship. It’s also an interesting read and a book that’s perfect for Constitution Day or any other day when you need information about this country of ours. You can browse through The Citizen’s Almanac here, buy a single copy or a package of 25 for schools and civic organizations, or locate it at a library.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS PUBLICATION?

In addition to clicking on the links in the article above to find the publication, you may find this publications from the following:

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy this and other print publications related to citizenship (with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide) from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore website at http://bookstore.gpo.gov:

Order by Phone: You may also order print editions by calling GPO’s  Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

About the author: Adapted by Trudy Hawkins, Writer and Marketing Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Division in Washington, DC, from an original post by James Cameron, former Government Book Talk Editor in support of the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (http://bookstore.gpo.gov).

4 Comments | Teachers and teaching, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by govbooktalk

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