Societal leadership is timeless
"...nearly 50 years after the March on Washington, our work, Dr. King's work, is not yet complete. We gather here at a moment of great challenge and great change," "And so at this moment...we need more than ever to take heed of Dr. King's teachings."
"As was true 50 years ago, as has been true throughout human history, those with power and privilege will often decry any call for change as 'divisive.' They'll say any challenge to the existing arrangements are unwise and destabilizing."
And so with our eyes on the horizon and our faith squarely placed in one another, let us keep striving; let us keep struggling; let us keep climbing toward that promised land of a nation and a world that is more fair, and more just, and more equal for every single child of God.
Every era in the history of civilization has been confronted with challenges calling for societal leadership (e.g. the rise of Sparta, World War I and II, Great Chinese Famine, etc.); such is the evolution of society. MLK was not unique in that he lived in a time of suffering and injustice. In the case of racism in the United States in the 1950's and '60's, MLK did display an exemplary amount of competence, character, conviction and courage (4C Societal Leader framework) throughout his campaigns. Indeed, without this type of leadership the Civil Rights Movement would have looked entirely different.
We can expect the sun to rise tomorrow. Societally, we can expect our conditions and contexts to change. As new challenges find us, societal leadership will perpetually be a crucial component of a building a better future. As Obama stated in his speech, "Dr. King refused to accept what he called the "isness" of today. He kept pushing towards the "oughtness" of tomorrow." Fueling a positive societal movement (for current and future generations) needs to be addressed by using a societal lens with continued focus on the "oughtness of tomorrow." Thereafter, societal leadership among the masses can spawn positive social change.
Societal leadership is not only the heroism of one
"And Dr. King would be the first to remind us that this memorial is not for him alone. The movement of which he was a part depended on an entire generation of leaders."
"This is a monument to your collective achievement... there are the multitudes of men and women whose names never appear in the history books... who through countless acts of quiet heroism helped bring about changes few thought were even possible."
"This sculpture, massive and iconic as it is, will remind them of Dr. King's strength, but to see him only as larger than life would do a disservice to what he taught us about ourselves."
Behind every celebrated 'hero' is a network of unrecognized heroes. But all are heroes. All are crucial contributors to a better future despite the inequity of spotlight attention. But the celebrated hero is always wary of this because positive social change only emerges when each individual chooses to act as a societal leader for the betterment of future generations. Consider how MLK's heroic story would have been different without Rosa Parks, Dorothy Height, Benjamin Hooks or Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth?
Consider how the story would have been different without the Greensboro sit-ins, Montgomery Bus Boycott, March of Washington for Jobs and Freedom and all the individual supporters and organizers of nation-wide civil disobedience? Obama was absolutely correct in the decree that "Dr. King would be the first to remind us that this memorial is not for him alone. The movement of which he was a part depended on an entire generation of leaders...This is a monument to your collective achievement." All of these people acted determinedly and persistently as a collective force for a better future.
Societal leadership is not easy
...it is also important on this day to remind ourselves that such progress did not come easily; that Dr. King's faith was hard-won; that it sprung out of a harsh reality and some bitter disappointments.
"Progress was hard. Progress was purchased through enduring the smack of billy clubs and the blast of fire hoses. It was bought with days in jail cells and nights of bomb threats. For every victory during the height of the civil rights movement, there were setbacks and there were defeats."
"First and foremost, let us remember that change has never been quick. Change has never been simple, or without controversy. Change depends on persistence. Change requires determination."
"...when confronting disappointment, Dr. King refused to accept what he called the "isness" of today. He kept pushing towards the "oughtness" of tomorrow."
"Dr. King understood that peace without justice was no peace at all; that aligning our reality with our ideals often requires the speaking of uncomfortable truths and the creative tension of non-violent protest."
"[MLK] would want [our children] to know that he had setbacks, because they will have setbacks. He would want them to know that he had doubts, because they will have doubts."
Societal leadership requires adopting a societal perspective to current problems for the betterment of future generations. But these perspectives are always measured against how things are today and are often seen as too audacious. To the unafflicted, there is comfort and security in the status quo and consequently, they tend to overlook these deeper societal issues. Change is often resisted, sometimes with hostility. How can power be overcome if your societal perspective represents that of the less powerful (i.e. racial, political, economical, etc.)?
The odds are stacked against you until more people become ambassadors of societal leadership. In MLK's case, he continously and openly detested the racial oppression that was so evident in US society. He was met with dissent from the powerful institutions that basked in the injustices of the status quo. Threats were regular (e.g. rocks were thrown at him, assassinations were attempted, his family threatened, countless racial slurs, etc.) and negativity bombarded him throughout the process. But he persisted. And others persisted.
Small win after small win, momentum grew until the scales tipped in favor of his seemingly 'too audacious' societal dream -perhaps the tipping point was marked by MLK's famous and powerful "I have a dream" speech (video and transcript). In the end, MLK was a societal leader who dedicated his life to building a better future for posterity but at no point did it come easily.
Now is the time for societal leadership...
The celebrated leaders of yesterday, such as MLK, offer rich learning for societal leaders of tomorrow. But as civilization evolves new generations are faced with new societal leadership challenges. The systemic challenges we face today are startlingly complex. Solutions to these challenges are non-linear and will require a level of social change at an unprecedented global level. Clearly, this is an audacious goal but when societal leadership begins to take root among iconic figures and all change agents alike, anything is possible. Indeed, it is all that is possible if we desire to leave a better society to our children and our children's children.
Consider where your passion for a better future lies and ask yourself how you are contributing to it. Commit to making a difference. Share these commitments with LeadWell Initiative (comments below, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), and your friends and family and see what emerges. It is often surprising to see where societal leadership leads you.
About the Author
Matt Mayer is a program officer with the LeadWell Initiative.
