Written by: Alaisha De la Cruz
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
(And The Memphis Sanitation Workers)
In his last speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” he delivered on April 3, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. talked about the Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike. This event was really important in the Civil Rights Movement because it showed how labor rights and racial inequality are connected. It showed the need for economic justice for African Americans.
The Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike started in February 1968 when African American sanitation workers protested against bad working conditions, low pay, and unfair treatment all because of their skin color. The strike began after a terrible accident where two workers, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, were crushed by a garbage truck while trying to find shelter from the rain. Their deaths showed how little people cared about the lives of black workers in Memphis. This made them act up and fight to be seen and heard getting what they deserved. They already had in mind their union. The workers wanted to form a union so they could negotiate for better pay and working conditions. They asked for a wage of $2.00 per hour, job security, and the right to join a union. They also got support from Civil Rights Leaders like Dr. King himself and other civil rights leaders supported the workers because they knew that fighting for their economic justice was an important part of the civil rights struggle. They protest by marching holding signs that read “I Am a Man” at the city hall to bring attention to their economic problems and to have a peaceful protest. The city council decided to take action after seeing the such big scale striking protest in Memphis Tennessee, and after hearing about Dr. King’s assaination, since this really shocked everyone and made people feel many emotions about the situation, the city council felt a lot of pressure to help the sanitation workers. The city council knew they had to do something to honor Dr. King’s work and make things fairer for everyone. So, they decided to support the workers’ demands to make a positive change and show that they cared about justice and equality.
In his speech, Dr. King talked about how important it was to stick together and keep fighting against economic injustice. He said, “We’ve got some difficult days ahead,” but he also expressed hope for everyone, saying, “I’ve seen the Promised Land.” This showed that he believed the fight for civil rights was not just about racial equality but also about helping people have better economic opportunities. The sanitation workers’ strike showed how much Dr. King cared about nonviolent protest and fighting for justice. In his speech he stated “We are masters in our nonviolent movement that is disarming police forces they don’t know what to do”. He reminded everyone that true equality means having economic stability too. His speech encouraged the workers and their supporters to keep fighting for their respect from these companies. The Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike was a very important event.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s vision of justice and equality. His “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech not only talked about the struggles of the sanitation workers but also reminded everyone about the ongoing fight for economic justice in America to stay together and fight for their rights. Dr. King’s legacy still inspires people today who are fighting for workers’ rights and social justice.