Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered across the nation today as one of America's greatest leaders and a warrior of the civil rights movements.
Pulitzer Prize–winning author Taylor Branch grew up in the segregated south, and is arguably the most well known biographer of Martin Luther King Jr. He urges others to see beyond the oversimplification of Dr. King's works, and learn from the movement.
For Branch, Martin Luther King Day is not only about remembering a great American leader, but also about renewing American citizenship.
Branch says, "The civil rights movement, in the sense that it was about what basic citizenship, should be about our future not about some quaint story about buses from the past."
Director of Piece Studies at Gustavus Mimi Gerstbauer says, "Not just black and white but a multitude of issues within the US, I think we can find examples in the history of the movement that are relevant today, and meaningful and helpful."
Branch says, "We have an economic system that is beset, a political system that is gridlock, and a lot on cynicism and the civil rights movement really overcame things just like that."
Branch says no matter your age, creed, or color, everyone can learn something from Dr. King and the civil rights movement.
Sophomore Victoria Clark says, "I think that these core ideas of non–violence and of coming together across party lines and racial lines is important for everyone, it doesn't matter what part of the nation or what part of the world you are in, these are universal symbols and blessings to us."
Branch says, "I think King is a great inspiration to us to revive our citizenship, to take it seriously, so study it, that it is not easy, but that it is incredible rewarding."
An inspiration that Branch hopes will resonate with people in the audience.
Gerstbauer says, "Find something that puts a sparkle in them that maybe they will peruse further than today."
