A New and Unsettling Force by Poverty Initiative

A New and unsettlingForce: ReignitingRev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jt.'t Poor People'sCampaign

Summer2009 FirstEdition Publishedby

www.poverrylnlilauve. org

[email protected]. edu 3041 Broadway New York, NY 10027 2r2-280-r439

Raisingup generationsof religiousand communiry leaders committed to building a movement,led by the poor, to end poverty. Chapter I

IxrnooucrroN

I chooseto identi$zwith the underprivileged.I chooseto identi$, with the poor. I chooseto give my life for the hungry. I chooseto give my life for those who have beenleft out. ... This is the way I'm going. If it meanssuffering a Iittle bit, I'm going that way. ... If it meansdying for them, I'm going that way. -Martin Luther King, Jr,1

Christianscripture warns of falseprophets-leaders who impressbut fail to produce"good fiuit." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was no false prophet; he both talked the talk and rvalkedthe walk. His words and work, messageand ministry endure as models of theo- reticalclariry and deep faith, embodied in meaningfuland effectiveacrion. His faith and clariry supporteda commitment which allowedhim to stay the coursedespite mounring death threatsagainst him. In the final sermon before he was assassinated,King exempiifies this courage,refusing to step away from the righteousnessand necessiryof his work despite the likelihood of his death:

Like anybody,I would like to live a long life. Longeviryhas its place.But I'm not concernedabout that now. I just want to do God'swill. And He'sallowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over.And I've seenthe prom-

1 Vincent Harding, Martin Luther King: 77e InconuenientHero (Maryknoll, NY Orbis Books, 1995),58 l l.l.l\G Ft'tRc;t .\ \rt rxn L \:t

to.know ronighr' rhat with you' But I want you isedland' I may not get there I'm l""d' And I'm h*Ppy' tonight' people'will get to th€.Promi"l we' as a Mine eyeshave seen I'l not fearing any man' not worried about anythtiq the Lord'' the glory of the coming of

Thislegacyofclarity,commitment,faithandcourageisanecessaryandinvaluablere-today' about social justice m^ovements sourcefor thinking many of the economtc' y."r, of nis iif. King anticipated tn importan, *";;;;;i"J, the trom tne of the p"'lt"t times' In iourney religious, more than political, "";'iltJ;"oiltt-' Campaign' he became Boycott to planning^tnt Montgomery;H;"'""'+:t::::ilr*Li*l;:* Bus j::ig*:l'l],T;;i'ilil:Ti+i:+:iljt;'oioplt'' values a the vision, set of arerightlo^usly concerned about leadership .;--trment for in modelof ""d "ii;h. th. fl.. of abundance'of poverty i;;;;;lry of cryinginjustice ""d "b"^do,*.nlin tnt reflectedthis broad vision vietnam"speech at tuversidechurch Hlilfirl:l,tJ'.uo,.,d of thevietnam war' con- n. ,.ir.d fnni"-..r,"I critiques andleadership. I" hi;;;ar.., wereset asarnst "'"J;J;' wn1' qoo'blacks demningit asan o'-I i"1 f::whites stand ' :'- eachotherathome,henoted,ther,rvereb,o.,gh.togetherinabrunlunirytomassacrethedescribedhis prophetic ,i.r*.' .;:;; ffi: H. in Vietnam-a manipulatio. militarism poor movementagainst racism' a largervision_-a political againstthe war aspart of ,ild ..ono*ic iniustice: We must rap- a raclicalrevolution of]1:'' as a nation must undergo ..person*::.-0.. tF.. ...we .ihi,.'g.o.i..,ted,, to a a sociery idly begin the ,hiFt from rrgnts l€c profit ProPerty machinesand computers' Ar sociery'When -":llt-:,Td of racism'ma- th""ptopit'.tht ttil:^t::Orlets areconsidered more important lr; are incapableof being conquereo"' terialism,and militarism lr and the InsuchStatementsKingexpressedasocialvisionthatdemandedbothpersonalandbetween individual virtue refusing any easy ;.;;,.-y social transformarion, but neededto find expression life.'comparrion *", n...rr".y, characterof our nJo.r"t

-ffi;utherKing,Jr.,..ISeethePromisedLand,,,inATbstamentofHope:TheEssenti,t (NewYork: Harper col King,/r,, ;.1";", M. washington t|ritingsand speechesofMartin Luther

'r'r11e o*i\.tl:" L'o' ""''intuJi:,un t-u'i'" King" lr' ': ':; Washington:;,":r:':::':{{T:,il:'?::!'(New York: Harper Luthn King'l'";'J;;t' M' \X/ritingsand Speechesof Ma'tin 1in5,1e86)' 240-24' irr nooucrtoN \: \\ .\\f) UNsgrrlrNc Foncg

socially: "Tiue compassionis more than flinging a coin to a beggar;it is not haphazard tonight, that -:'.(r\\ and superficial.It comesto seethat an edificewhich producesbeggars needs . :.iri\'. tonieht. I'm resrrucrur- ''_: I ing." Instead,'A true revolution of valueswill soon look uneasilyon the glaring conrrasr ,i.:rr eveshave seen oi poverryand wealth."aKing rejectedboth cynicismand sectarianism,arguing that more just foreign and domesticpolicies were both possibleand necessary.The alternarivewas a ,rnd invaluablere- -,...1r\' road to "spiritualdeath." This broader vision and analysisis expressedin his strategicturn from a civil rights to OIthe economic' ::.: rrr,tttV human rightsframework. He laid this out in an addressto the SCLC staffin May of 1967, from the .:r thc iourneY *'hich deservesto be quoted at length: :.r:'.. hc becamemore than have moved from the era of civil rights to the era of human rights, an era : .. :.r.trerof a still-relevant 'We where we are called upon to raisecertain basicquestions about the whole so- . :.r lodav he standsas a ciery.We havebeen in a reform movement ... But after Selmaand the voting ...., concernedabout the rights bill, we moved into a new era,which must be the eraof revolution.\(/e ' .':'.:ll\'l.lllce'oF Poverry in must recognizethat we can'tsolve our problem now until there is a radical redistributionof economic and political power...this meansa revolution of :: :.:t:.ted this broadvision valuesand other things.\7e must seenow that the evilsof racism,economic . : :irc Vietnam \Var, con- exploitationand militarism are all tied together...youcan r reallyger rid ofr '.' : $ ltircswere set againsr one without getting rid of the others...thewhole strLlctureof American life :':..:-iltrtrin' to massacrethe stand must be changed.America is a hypocriticalnatior.r and [rve] must put [our] -.-:::'rclhis ProPhetic own housein order,5 " :-:ul\t racism.militarism This analysissuggests the necessiryof building a broad-basedrnove me nr in order to makeplausible any significant"redistribution of economicand politicalpower." The prac- . . -:.'..\\ e must raP- tical implication of this stancerequired the uniting of poor rvhitesrvith poor people of , :'ir\on-oriented" color on the basisof what they havein common: their povertvand powerlessness. ,. .,,.1proP.rry rights On the one hand, this stanceplaced him at odds with thosecivil rights leaderswho r' :-..'1.oi racism,ma- choseto remain siient about the injusticeof the war in Vietnam and satisfiedwith stop- ping at civil rights and voting rights legislationthat mainly benefitedthe black upper both and ,',:.,:rJcd Personal classes.King clearlyrecognized the socialand classlimitations of the legislativegains abol- ,, ,r.1i,idual virtue and the ishing legalizedJim Crow segregation,realizing that it did no good to havethe right to sit to find exPression .-- -, J..l in a restaurantif you could not afford to eat there.He stated,"What good is it to be able

: .".,' t oJHoPe: The E'sential ' .: :r \eu'York:HarPerCol- 4 l6id.,241 Martin Luther King, 'To Chart Our Course for Future', ' '.;,i..tttof HoPe:The Essential 5 Jr the addressto the Southern Christian LeadershipConference, South Carolina, 1967,2-3 (King Library and Archives,King - :: i: \ew York:HarPer Col- Center.Arlanta). hoR(lE \ . i' r:)l ( :', \\ ,\ Nr.\'.r:o UxsErlI-ING 10

tt,\ r.i . - .'r.',,'r tositatalunchcounterifyoucantaffordth.eprice.o[ih-t"b119::?"6Stilltodayweseea new sign, that "_. rl ('1 '' .white *,,'do* hasbeen replacedby only, sign in the restauran. : :: I i. .,.,i',. * r,. :: ::. that the colot your skin' there'sno costsof No matter *hat the menu with its iiemized . ::ttti..ii'. li:t.: .:-..-. is, the food' yot' cant-."1r. afford the price of needto go into,nt :-:\l Il Lllr I'r :tlr . : . :' "tt""'""t'f with many elementsof the civil stanceplaced him at tdds .-:.:. on the other hand, King's :-1.:.1r./.lt ir'lt. .jt.. : j: point of view' i'-tto Black Nationalist .: rights movem.nr,,"r"]tt''tiig "'igid t )rr.r.tIi. (,::-.i::... =::- pri11.1p.t1111,..:..':. oneunfbrtunatethingabout[theslogan]BlackPoweristhatitgivesprioriryand other forces the ir.'p"tt of , .,'gltlltt.tfc.,'. i.i. .,;1.; to race p,..i"tf * t'irnt when l"t:1n1tton ;r " for blacksand whites alike' In made the economic question f,r.rd#..rtal : :r.ric lrinr ki]lrl i :. have more appropri- Poo' People'would be much .:'.! t()getner tnrcij :--t.l this context i;;-fot ";;;; . r. riqhr. org.ur:..::. -l ate than the slogan 'Black Power" - : rrrilit.rnt [r()(,r'., ..:: KingrecognizedthatfortheloadofPoverrytobelifted,,thethinkingandbehaviorthis .:\)pped. have to be changed.To accompiish This u.r. ..:.r:. mass of rhe American people.*o,rli of a crirical :r King s ass.rssin.ir;,,:. changea..new""a"",...Lingforce,,r,"a.."beformed.Inlate]-g6T,hedescribedthisof the poor"' ln .:r oflht a freedom church rrr.rl rr.rrr..rifr.,':: :. as a multi-'atiJ;""^t'"ft"' t'ty Poor' force ::: Ii.rrrrtript .ir....: .. otherwords,.h.poo,wouldhavetobeorgani,edtotakeactiontogetheraroundtheirand politit"i forcecapable ir I'rpper's,Att ,1;: ,,' therebyu..o-i,if o.*..r"r social ':.; immediateand basicneeds, " dispellingthe myths and stereorypes In:r nunrber (): ::.: the terms of how poverty i, .r.,dlrr,ood, of changing intact' ::::i\ Ot Orrr ririli.. ,\ th"t lt"ut' the root causesof Poverry I upholding the massto-pt"ttnty j -i:: globallr'.The .r,r:1.,'., poor' both white Xlet-]t]:^i:"i of this nation-the "."f : th, imporcri.lrrr:. The dispossessed not agalnst ::: organize"'againstthe injustice' cruelly unjust societv'They must ::riddle class.".\li,i:i...: citizens,but againstthe structures ,h.;;;;;;, *ho.r. their"fellow the lives.f called ::,nts oia grou'ing 1.-,,'.. to take meanswhich havebeen through whicfr the socieryis refusing :.()nontic crisis h.r. ..:.,, There are millions of ft"ta' to lift tlit load of poverry' for, and *hith If J,'ri<.. nhich h.rr, i:::'. "" "t littit' or €ven nothing' to lose' i" tni' country who haveut'y .:.rr.. poor people freedom and Thc gloh.rl nr:.,::- - together' they will do so with a they can be helped to take action ::,1 [rllible , and th.r: ... aPowertt'"t*lllbeanewandunsettlingfo,..inourcomplacentnational :-onomic insritr-rtror-...il llle. :ltrrc iU\t set tli.trr.,'.i: *;ri.tion qualir.rrirr',. Kingproceededtotransiatethisanalysisintoactiviry.Hegotfrombehindthepulpit -:.: .:rprecedented rcd i,: :: :.. 17 E'fforts,"in ciuil RightsMonitorYol' .',,,'r Pctrple',C.rlrr1..i.i' -6 "t..d.rrhip conferenceSteps up Anti-Poverry ::e dislocated and dr.:., . Winter 2007,www'civilrights'org/monitor/winte12007/art13p1'html \n A No.1 Ht"i Ch"o' or Communiry"' .{lmost King' "Where Co F'o- all di:.t,.::.. 7 Martin Luther Jr" P;*t ed' M' Wash- and ,7U*tin LutherKing, Jr'' James \ldrr'lnefl t, his rlrc,,],,i . Tbstamentof Hop. i'r" n,,rnrTolWitings $)irt 1986)'586' :rr. in gcnder poliri.. . ineton(N;wYo'k: Harper Collins' 8 Ibid,6t0-651

- \ \r.v. AND UNSETTLING FoR( ! )i)T-CTION 1l

:.,.rrqer?"6Still today we see :n.l hit the pavement,launching the organizingdrive of the Poor People'sCampaign. He :.t-l,rcedby a new sign, that brought peopletogether, across racial and regionallines to plan for the march to'W'ashing- : .,,lor your skin, there'sno ton. He alignedwith the struggleof the poor and black sanitationworkers in Memphis, :r. tirod. Jcnnessee.Their strugglefor digniry King suggested,was a dramatizationof the issues :'.:r.lnv elementsof the civil taken up by the Poor People'sCampaign-a fight by capable,hard workers againstdehu- :'',rntof view. manization,discrimination and poverqrwages in the richestcounrry in the world. Once this organizingcampaign took to the streets,the representativesof the "power :. rh.it it givesprioriry and principalities"launched a seriesof countermovesto preemptwhat they perceivedto be ,::rrn.rnd other forces a legitimate social and political threat. Elements from every level of governmenr conspired r. .ind *'hites alike. In to havehim killed. King'sinternarional prestige combined with his realpotential of bring- :::.r.h more appropri- ing togetherthree major currentsat that time: (1) the proven southern-widenerworks of ci'il rights organizations,(2) rhe narional anti-war movemenr, and (3) the new energy and behavror : ::rr ihinking oi militant poor youth of the northern cities ghetto uprisings.Such a threat had to be this ":r.,:rScd.To accomplish stopped.This was clearlyconfirmed by the proceedingsand conclusionof the 1999 trial this ,:r l')(r-, he described on King's assassinationin Memphis, largelyignored by the media. For more information poor." In : :-: -hurch of the seetrial transcriptson the King Center web site,http://www.thekingcenter.org/KingCen- their .-:.,,n rogetheraround ter/Tianscript-circuit-court.aspx and readthe book by the King family's arrorney,William .. i:r!l politicalforce caPable F. Pepper's,An Act of State: TbeExecution of Martin Luther King. r: ::t: nrVthsand stereotypes In a number of respectsthe Poor People'sCampaign of 1968 anticipatedthe chal- : :',r\crrv intact. Iengesof our times.'Weare in a time of acuteeconomic crisis, both in the United States ..::.:\cgro-live in a and globally.The acutenessofthe crisishas revealed its unique chronic aspecrsas expressed : :'..l\rice , not against in the impoverishmentof increasingsegments of the middle income srrara,rhe so-called : ,:.iin.t rhestructures "middle class."Alongside rising hunger, homelessnessand economic inequalirywe find hints of ,: -:r h.r'e beencalled a growing protestmovement at the grassrootslevel. At the samerime, the current .:r-'rc:rre millions of economiccrisis has seriously questioned the prevailingideological and theologicalortho- doxies,which have "realistically" -:: :tr)rhing,to lose.If defined the limits of the possiblefor at leastthe last forry . .,.ith a freedomand years.The global financial collapsehas shown that economic arrangementsare conringenr and fallible, and that ,: -,':r[rlacentnational we can legitimately imagine new and different ways ro strucrure economic institutions. But without a movement issuingfrom the bottom demanding a more just set of arrangements,it is unlikely that the currenr crisiswill be resolvedin a : :\,'. trom behind the pulpit direction qualitatively different than that of the past rwo decades,which saw a historically unprecedentedredistribution of wealth upward. An accountingof the lessonsof King's Vol. 17 :: il RightsMonitor Poor People'sCampaign and a study of their applicationto the conremporarystruggies of :'.itul the dislocatedand dispossessedis thus both timely and necessary. ( :r.rosor Communiry" in I Almost all discourseabout King has focusedon his leadershipof the Civil fughts .^.':,tt,Jr., ed. James M. Vash- Movement, his theologicalcritiques ofJim Crow his oratory skillsand evenhis shortcom- ings in genderpolitics. Little has beensaid about his commitment to ending poverryand \ \F,\\T AND UNSETTLING FORCT 8.\)l)L (- IION r3

c'.rn iessabout his vision for a Poor People'sCampaign as a historic effort of the poor to unitc .rcrossracial, gender, ethnic, religious and geographiclines. Little hasbeen said about i'rtrrr'.in devising the strategyand tactics of that Campaign, he drew on the historical les- $n\ providedby similar effortsof previouscampaigns, such as the strugglesin the 1930s trt'the SouthernTenant FarmersUnion, an organizationof the poor cotton pickersunited airosscolor lines,and of the unemployedwhite and black veteransunited in the famous Bonus March on \WashingtonD.C. Nothing has been said about how this pivotal aspect oi the Poor People'sCampaign was a counter to the age-old'divide and conquer'strategy appliedas far backas the old slaveplantation days. The slaveocracyutilized the poor whites to hold down the black siaves,while utilizing the wealth and power derivedfrom the ex- pioitation of the black slavesto enticeand manipulatepoor whites.For more information on theseplantation politics see\W.E,.B. Du Bois'sBlacb Reconstruction. Concerned about the lack of careful and svstematicstudy of the Poor People'sCam- paien-both its goals and the reasonsfor its demise-the Poverry Initiative at Union TheologicalSeminary decided in 2008 to concentratemuch of its energieson a yearlong rtudv and historical analysisof King's last years.This project brought rogerherleaders from ditierent poor communities who agreedto join this effort mostly becausethey felt that nenvorkingwith other communiqr and religiousleaders would greatly srrengrhenrheir \trugglesand organizations.This joint explorationled to the PoverryInitiarive's decision to commemoratethe 40th anniversaryof the Poor People'sCampaign with the development of a PoverryScholars Program. With theseleaders, the Poverw Initiative beganby identifyingand connectingwith local organizingwork in impoverishedcommunities and holding strategicdialogues. Learning from the crippling effectsof Kir.rg'sassassination, it becomesclear that there is a need to developmany "Martin Luther Kings." Such leaders arenot developednaturally-they must be systematicallyeducated and trained. The PovertyScholars Program has becomethe cornerstoneof the PovertyInitiative, reflectingits mission to raiseup "generationsof religiousand communiry leaderscom- mitted to building a movement,led by the poor, to end poverw,"-a missioninspired by

iir:urrection Ciry day carecentel the historicaland strategicconclusions King arrivedat about the poor united acrosscolor "a \\ ashington,D.C., June 1968 lines being new and unsettlingforce." One of the products of the strategicdialogues, . :pecial Collections& Archives. immersiontrips and classessponsored by the PoverryInitiative was the compilation of the vason -()roc UniversiryLibraries rext beforeyou. It hopesto help facilitatelarger in-depth discussionsand debatesabour this important period in history.Its purposeis to draw the kind of lessonsthat would help guide us in our work on accomplishingwhat is most neededin this counrry today-the reigniting of the Poor Peoplet Campaign and finishing the unfinishedbusiness of King. The first part of the book includes chapterson the history of the Poor People'sCampaign of 1968, the role of religion and the Bible, and the importanceof Art and Culture in the .\ \lu .rxtl L ssr't-ttrxe l:oRcl

interview of Bertha Burres (Queen of the Mule itrusqle to end Poverry,along with an -Iiain). from what we call The secondp"r, of th.-book consistsof essayssubmitted by those fighting for the samebasic the modern dav Sanitation\Torkers' struggles-organizations fought' needsand demandsfor which the Poor People'sCampaign ('. i,1 IJ t+s** Y gt."..li r! Chapter2

Poonp,on,-o TAf.trJ'":i il;

The vision to build a unified constituencyof poor people to bring their grievancesto Washingtonwas a long time in the making. Dating back to labor union orgar.rizingin the 1930s and to the first Poor People'sMarch on W'ashingtonstaged br' fir'e hundred poor rvelfaremothers in October 1966,t the desirefor economicchange \\.as an urgenr requesr of the poorand low-wageworkersinAmerica. The missionto confront the U.S. government with the realiryof poverty in America was altrrmedbv the developmenrof the Poor PeoplesCampaign in 1967.As many leadersof the Civil RightsMovemenr beganto focus on bringing the plight of poverty into the nation'sconsciousness, it was Marian \Wright, then directorof the Mississippiolfice of the NAACP LegalDefense and Education Fund, and Robert Kennedy who encouragedDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to bring the poor to \Washington. Organizing a campaign that would unite the poor in our nation'scapital was nor \rch ives, foreign to King. Throughout his career,King insistedupon recognizingthe srrucrural natureof poverryand racismin the United Statesas he worked to end suchinequities. He believedthat "Povertywas not reducibleto poor people'scultural deficienciesor family pathologies.Racism was not mere prejudice,but foundationalto a divided working class, to the institutional structure and political economy of the urban ghetro, and to larger

1 Thomas F. Jackson, From Ciuil Rightsto Human Rights:Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Strugglefor EconomicJusticr (Philadelphia, PA: Universityof: Pennsylvania Press, 2007), 335.

17 18 A NEw eNo UNssrruNc Foncr [)ooRProplr,'s CArrlrr,, -

iandscapesof metropolitan apartheid."2The only way King believedstructural inequal- a realirycreared Ir. .,: iry could be eliminatedwas for the poor to gain political power-poor peopleneeded to Thereare firrr, :: becomeactive participants in the institutionsthat governedtheir lives.In his words: rion, 'V'hr .ui :: I The dispossessedof this nation-the poor, both white and Negro-live in a oegtn to rr.:k:;:.. cruelly unjust sociery.They must organize a revolution against that injustice, system,aLrorr: . . not againstthe livesof the personswho are their fellow citizens,but against Thosein V.!shrrs: the structuresthrough which rhe societyis refusing to take meanswhich have and aroundthe rr, ,r..: .,. been called for, and which are at hand, to lift the load of poverry. The only er. King believedrh.r: :, real revolutionary, people say,is a man [or woman] who has nothing to lose. accountable[or ir. r,, . Thereare millions of poor peoplein this country who havevery little, or even his December+th nothing, to lose.If they can be helped to take action together,they will do 1.-... rhat, "The presidenr ,i::. so with a freedomand a power that will be a new and unsettlingforce in our wages,for a degradinr . complacentnational life.3 ploymenrand und.r... .. It wasunder theseprinciples, principles that demandedthe agencyof the dispossessed, anj ra.irm."t H. ,rr.,.,,, that King announced the Poor People'sCampaign in December 1967. Three thousand but a problem of prj,,11; peoplefrom around the United Stateswere organized to travelto Washington,D.C. in the the federalCongrcs, .i::.: spring of 1968 and petition the governmentfor an "economicbill of rights." Fora realwar on p,r;.. . Through its March ,,r: ,r revolution The Needfor a Poor People'sCampaign of valuet,, ...,:' By 1967, King and other civil rights leadersrealized that the War on Poverty declaredby Lyndon Johnsonin January1964, alongwith the passingof the Civil fughts Act, neglected to conFrontthe realiry of racism and exploitarion that was affecting poor and working class .{s King and rhe SoLrr:r. black people. The goal of Johnson'sWar on Poverrywas to createchange for the poor and effortson bringing th. :. deterthe risingconflicts that wereemerging in poor urban environments.\fhile Johnsont publicconsciousnc.r. r:.r.. campaign focusedon education, .job training and social services(all of which lacked fund- rneatednot oniy rhe \,,..: ing due to increasingexpenditures on the War in Vietnam), it did little to encouragethe .l merica;not onlr rlr . ..: political empowermentof the poor and made no attempt to criticallyexamine the edifice .\mericans,but also p.,,,- that continued to produce poverty.It was just such political empowerment and social fhey realizedrher. .,,L;..: was to end poverry. ri irhout . restructuring that King believed was necessaryif this country going .onfrontin,,--"5 ,1..,' King insistedthat the existenceof poverryin America, the richestnation in the world, was plrgurngpoor peoplc, : ,

2 Ibid,368.Note: this quotation is byJacksonabout King; not a directquotation of King. 4 Martin LutherK .: 3 Martin LutherKing, Jr., "Nonviolence and SocialChange," in A nrtamenrof Hope:The l::,ential\Yritings and ::,. EssentialWritingsand Speechesof Martin LutherKing, Jr., ed.James M.'Washington (New York: H.rrperCollins, l98rr .r HarperCollins, 1986), 650-651 . 5 Jackson,342. 6 King."Non, r,, , . ..

E '.. \ru .\ND UNSETTLING FoRCE Poon Plopr-n'sCeupe.rcN or rq68 19

:'..:.'.ed structuralinequal- a realitycreated by an unequaldistribution of wealth: \::-Poor peoPleneeded to Thereare forry million poor peoplehere. And one day we musr askthe ques- :'::: lives. In his words: tion, 'Why are rhereforry million poor people in America?'And when you ,r:rJ\egro-live in a begin to ask that question, you are raising quesrionsabout rhe economic .i:.iinrtthat injustice, sysrem,about a broaderdistribution of wealth.a .,. but against -:nzcns, Those in Va.shington neededto acknowledgethar the problem of poverry in America .i\. inctnswhich have and around the world wasa resultof a structuralimbalance of politicaland economicpow- I ,,i The onlY fil1sp6'. er. King believedthat real social changewould require the federal government to be held : ::.r.nclthing to lose. accountablefor its role in maintaining racial and classprivilege in this counrry. During ' ,: r \'.rVIirtle, or even his December4th pressconference announcing the Poor People'sCampaign, King argued : ,i.rhcr. they will do rhat, "The Presidentand the Congress...havea primary responsibiliryfor low minimum ..::..:tLitrgforce in our \\'ages'for a degrading system of inadequatewelfare, for subsidiesto the rich and unem- plovmentand underemploymentof the poor, for a war mentaliry for slumsand starvation, -.: .i:'inrv of the disPossessed, and racism."5He maintainedthat the problem of poverry was nor a problem of scarcity, ::':.:: l')(rl. Three thousand but a problem of priorities and valuesthat musr be challenged.King claimed rhat "only : \\.r:hington,D.C. in the the federalCongress and administrationcar-r decide ro usethe billions of dollarswe need ., :'..-,,i rights." tor a realwar on Poverq/.We need,not a new law, but a massive,new nationalprogram."6 Through its March on Washington, the Poor People'.sCan-rpaign would demand a radical rmPaign revolutionofvalue to sparkreal social change. . .,,,: ,'rr Poverrydeclared by '$7ho ' . , :..l RighrsAct, neglected W'ould Go? :-:.:r: ir()orand working class \s King and the Southern Christian LeadershipCouncil (SCl-C) began to focus therr and ctiortson bringing the realiryof the economic :..,:. -ir.tngefor the Poor exploitationof rhe black communiry into -.. : '::nctrts.WhileJohnson's public consciousness,they quickly discoveredthat povertvu'as a prolific problem that per- meatednot only the South, -,. .i'l ois'hich lackedfund- but alsothe North; nor only the r.rrbangherro, but alsorural .:.,: lirtle to encouragerhe .\merica; not only the unemployed,but also the low-wagervorker: r'rot only poor black .\mericans,but also --:.,.rllv examinethe edifice poor white Americans,Mexican Americans,ar.rd Native Americans. Thev realizedthey could - .:.. i ]t Po\\'erme nt and social not confront the problem of povertr..in the black communiry ::r :\.i\ qoing to end povertY. rrithout confronting the way the oppressiveevils of poverq racismand militarism were plaguingpoor peopleof -: : .: :r.rtionin the world' was all racesand ethnicitiesaround the globe. In his "Beyond Viet-

.rirectquotation of King. 4 Martin LutherKing, Jr., "Vhere Do Ve Go From Here?,"in A Testamentof Hope: 7he .1 listamentof HoPe:The L,l::entialWritings and Speechesof Martin Luther King, /r., ed. JamesM. Vashington (New York: \\ashington(New York: HarperCollins, 1986), 250. 5 Jackson,342. 6 King,"Nonviolence and Social Change," 651. rII I\c FI)RCF Iu .\ \ru .rrtr L'rtf

nam" speechat the RiversideChurch in April 1967,Ktng exclaimed' I am convincedthat if we arero geron the right sideof the world revolution, must rapidly we as a narion must undergo a radical revolution of values.\7e 'person-oriented'society' begin rhe shift from a 'thing-oriented'society to a con- Wh.., machinesand computers,profit motivesand property rights are sideredmore importanr rhan people,the giant tripletsof racism,materialism, is more and militarism areincapable of beingconquered. . . . True compassion It comes than flinging a coin to a beggar;it is not haphazardand superficial' A true to see that an edifice which produces beggarsneeds restructuring. revolutionof valueswili soon look uneasilyon the glaringcontrast oFpoverry and wealth.' to acknowledge challenging the edifice that produced poverry required this country of all human life that the sacrednessof humaniry. It *", upholding the digniry and worth the statusquo that inspiredKing and SCLC to build a uniry acrossracial lines to confront Statesand around p.rp.,,r"r.d ihe .*ploitation and oppressionof the poor in the United the world.

,,1,m work herebecause when I wasa child, I got taken out of schooland put to in food' in the on the farm helping my family. They didnt pay us in money' but kids' and my husband worked crops so *. .orrid .",. th.,l I got married and had h. But he got sick in th. .otto., fields in season fi*i"g cars and trucks and stuff. I -d to get picked by and dont work much no more and there ain't hardly no cotton :I that we got to hand an1'way.... So I came herewith the Campaign to tell people we have a right to live becausewe've earned the be treated like human beings-that The Sanitation right but we've yet to be Paid." -f{sn1is11x Franklin, an African American farm wife from Mississippicited in RobertT. Chase,"class Resurrection:The Poor People'sCampaign of 1968 and ResurrectionCiry'"

to reach Planning a multiracial campaign to march on Washington required SCLC and to under- our to group"sacross the .or.rnaryth"t *.r. organizingin poor communities

" of HoPe:The Essential 7 Martin LutherKing, Jr', 'A Time to BreakSilence' \n A Testament (NewYork: HarPer Col- r-+ \,Vritingsand Speechesof Martin LutherKing, Jr', ed' JamesM . Vashington .\ lins.1986), 240'241. \ r u .lND UNsBlrutNc Fonc.r i)ropr-e'sCaupercN or r968 21

st.indrhe particular needs of thosedifferent groups. The first gatheringof suchleaders took li;ce in Atlanta, Georgiain March 1968.There, over 6fty multiethnic organizationscame ,',. *.)rtd revolution, :ogctherwith SCLC to join the campaign.Key leadersand organizationswho gathered ..,. \\e rnustrapidly :i this sessionincluded: Tom Hayden of the Newark Communiry Union, ReisTijerina of . ::-rrriented'sociery. :h: FederalAlliance of New Mexico,John Lewisof the SouthernRegional Council, Myles , :'r::\' rightsare con- Htrrtor of the Highlander Center, Appalachian Volunteers from Kentucky, welfare rights : :.:.-I\lll, materialiSm, :itivists, California farm workers, organizedtenants, and the American FriendsService .: -\)nrP.lssionis more (-ommittee. The common experienceevoked in building multiethnic uniry among poor .: ..:lcrhcial.It comes rcople was that the "establishedpowers of rich America deliberatelyexploited poor :-.::Lr.turing.A true [had] gcopleby isolatingthem in ethnic, national,religious and raciaigroups."8 It was believed :': ,!)ntrastof poverry :het the only way to break this isolationwas to build a united force that could stand to- *erherand challengesuch exploitation. Ifr.. -trLlnrf\rro acknowledge While the need to organizea campaignto confront the realiryof poverryand racism ,,r .,., h oi all human life that rn this country was apparent,organizing a Poor People'sMarch in Washington did not , :r:r()ntthe statusquo that ;ome without reservations.One major challengethat the campaignfaced was a concern '', ..:ritedStates and around rhat organizinga national march that rvould take place in Washington would take away rnergy from local movements.Local groups\\'ere Llnsure a nationai campaignwould help rhen.r achieve their particulargoals at home. V/hile uncertainw loomed among the various .-:t,,l.rland put to work ionstituenciesduring the planning of the Poor People'sCampaign, King insistedthat the ... i.r.rtin food, in the rocialproblems of poverryand racismwould requircr narionalcampaign to confront the .: :r',r'husband worked rcope and scaleof theseproblems. His call for a radicalredistribution of economic and -: -:Lrli'.But he got sick politicalpower in American socierywould demand rhar rhe carrpaigl bring the realityof ::()n to get picked by povertyin the United Statesto the front stepsof Congress. ;..,,plethat we got to ned the : -.1.:.c\\'e)ve eaf The Sanitation'Workers Strike in Memphis and King's Assassination l.::'.::r..llrfarm wife from In March 1968, King was invited to Memphis, Tennesseebv Jamesl-awson ro supporr .. ii:.Lrrrcction:The Poor the black sanitationworkers' strike againstthe ciry. Black sanitationrvorkers in Memphis . .,:r.lRcsurrection Ciry." had been fighting the ciry against"arbitrary firings, 6lthy and dangerousworking condi- rions,low wages,and negligiblejob mobilig."e They alsofought againstthe ciry'sbanning ' :rquired SCLC to reach of public employees'right to unionize. The strike was turning into a significantconfict ::'.nrunitiesand to under- betweenthe black communiry and the ciry as the workers continued to demand better

,.,,,.,',,rof HoPe:The Essential :' :r \eu'York:HarperCol- 8 Jackson,348 9 Jackson,350 A New eNo UNsnltuNc Foncn .'ooR )2 PropH,s CaMp.rtL,r, ,

wages,overtime pay, safery programs and union recognition.lnMany of King's associates prolong rhe irri_;,,; sanitationstrike suggestingthat King should protestedhis involvementin the Memphis doing it. \\.h.ir ,,,.., remain focusedon planning the Poor People'sCampaign. King, however,responded to wheneuerrh,. ..., . . their objectionssaying, "These are poor folks. ... If we don't stop for them, then we don't he cannothol.l :::. need to go to'J7ashington."" King did not view the conditions in Memphis as unique, beginningot'q::: :.. but rather saw them as an example of the exploitation experiencedby poor blacks in par- The next eveninr. ticular and poor Americans of all racesacross the country. The Poor Peoplet Campaign , :r rhe LorraineMorell,,::: would have to focus both locally and nationally if the needsof those affected by poverry King'sdeath brouqhr were going to be met. ::.:: ..rrnpaign. It be..rnr..:::- King did go to Memphis to support the sanitationworkers. On March 18, he spoke ( -ampaign.yer, knor,. to a crowd of 15,000people at the MasonicTemple and encouragedAfrican Americansto r::i .r.rJers persevr;r..j,rr:.: come rogetheracross class lines to demand economicequaliry. King realizedthat the mid- ..,.. ii.rlph Abernathl orir.:.i..: the system that '\'_t dle classmust be involved in a movement that was working to restructure .\ r ^' nltc many ol thc Ji:.,... produced poverty. \yr'hile King's vision for nonviolence accompanied him to Memphis, .:,,n provided rhe cn.rL.. the Memphis march did not uphold that vision. Instead,the march turned into what the : NewYorkTimes deemeda "mini-riot" and Kings Poor People'sCampaignwas placedin jeopardy.Civil rights organizers,reporrers, and public officialsalike beganto suggestthat a Poor People'sMarch on Washingtonwas sureto erupt into violence.If King was unable H ro preventviolence amidst a crowd o[ black sanitationworkers in Memphis, how would Initial Goalsof the p he control a multiracial coalition from acrossthe United Statesin Washington?r2Despite 'f . $30 billion .,:r:: the allegationsthat nonviolent protestwas not possiblefor the upcoming campaign,King ' Congrc.,r,,r...; insistedhe would leadanother nonviolent march in Memphis and a nonviolent campaign legisl.rri,,rl , s - to \Washington. ' CotrrLrrr.r ... : "Mountaintop" On April 3, King returnedto Memphis and that eveningdelivered his w'ereelinrin.,:.; sermon at Mason Temple. Here, King discussedthe necessityof confronting the oppression of the times and spokeout about massesof peoplearound the world who were rising -. l^:. :: I't'.r1',, up againstexploitation-crying out for freedom.King proclaimedthat: ' 1 . We are saying that we are God's children. And that we don't have to live like we are forced to live. ... It means that we've got to stay together.tVe've got to stay together and maintain uniry. You know, whenever Pharaoh wanted to .:-- r...ir)\r,.ts to brinr r., Lc-.: .,i',. lr..trerir,,111-. 10 Jackson,351 f i , :';: {l,.,rrrlrhr ,r;, 1I Jackson,350 12 Vhat is often not mentioned in the reports on the violence that erupted during the sanitationworkers'march in March of 1968 in Memphis is the involvement of the FBI and local law enforcementin planting agitatorsin the crowd to provokeviolence during the march (Jackson, 352). Jrr-19 1

mi '.. \ru'AND UNSETTLING FoR( i I)r.orLr.'sCevparcN or 1968 23

\ l.rnv of King's associates prolong the period of siaveryin Egypt, he had a favorite, favorite formula for ...gge:ringthat King should doing it. What was that? He kept the slavesfighting among themselves.But r :rg. ltorvever,responded to u'heneverthe slavesget rogether,something happens in Pharaoh'scourt, and .:,,1.tirr them, then we don't he cannot hold the slavesin slavery.'il4ren the slavesger rogether,that's the : ::. in \'lemphis as unique, beginningof getting out of slavery.Now let us maintain uniry.r3 .::'.rJ lrv poor blacksin Par- 'lhe next evening,on April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Lurher King, Jr, was assassinatedat l)oor People'sCamPaign .::. rhc Lorraine\,{61s1-sns month beforethe Poor People'sCampaign was ro be launched. . : :ir,rreaffected by poverry Kinq's death brought tremendousgrief to SCLC organizersand the participantsin the ;anrpaign.It becamethe first strike againstachieving King's vision of the Poor Peoplet ()n \{arch 18, he spoke *::. (.rmpaign. Yet, knowing King would have insistedthat the campaignconrinue, SCLC ..:.,i:J .\frican Americansto ice.lerspersevered and launched the Poor People'sCampaign. on April 19, 1968, Dr. ., rcalizedthat the mid- \.:rg fulph Abernathy olficially announced that the Campaign would proceed as planned. ::.iructure the systemthat : \\.hile many of the detailswere rushedor left unattended,the need to carry on Kine's vi- ::r:'.inicdhim to MemPhis, rron providedthe energyfor the Campaign ro conrinue. . ':r..:.itrurned into what the ( .rnrpaignwas in :- -. Placed The Campaign bcganto suggestthat . .:rie. If King was unable \::. :r \lemphis, howwould Initial Goals of the Poor Peoplet Campaign ,::. :r \\.rshington?r2DesPite . $30 billion annual appropriationfor a realwar on poverw :'- ..:..()nlingcampaign, King ' Congressionalpassage of full emplovment and guaranteedincome . , .i .t rronriolenrcamPaign legislation [a guaranteedannual r.r':rge] . Constructionof 500,000lor.v,cost housing unirs per yearuntil slums "Mountaintop" wereeliminated. - .r. ::riJ his -Announcem€nr bv King at a PressConference about the Poor .".: :::. rtorld who wererising People'sCampaign on February2, 1968, cited in Thomas F.Jackson, .,.:: :J that: From Ciuil Rightsto Human Rights,343. ,, -:,,:rthave to iive like .'.,, :.,gcther,1$7e've got .. .: I'heraohwanted to ihc plan was to bring poor people from acrossthe country to Washington to demand bctter jobs, better homes, better sdu6xlisn-better lives rhan the ones rhey were living. i)r. Ralph Abernathy explainedthat the intention of the Campaignwas to "dramarizethe

.. rh,rrerupted during the and local l3 Martin Luther King, "l Seethe PromisedLand," in A Testament ,i:ncnt of the FBI ..t,:rrnss Jr., of Hope:The Essentlal and SpeechesofMartin york: -- duringthe march (Jackson, LutherKing, Jr., ed.James M. washington(New HarperCol- :.,. 1986).280-281. 1l A New eNo UNsrrrLINc FoPc.t

plight of America'spoor of all racesand makevery clearthat they aresick and tired of wait- r::ore dispersingarotrn j ::: ing for a betterlife."1a The Poor People'sCampaign would pursueKing's desireto petition --i:.rvansgoing to \\ a:hr::: "\1i.t* the governmenrro passan Economic Bill of fughts that would genuinelyrespond to the :::r Ciaravan,"the r.: 'tr needsof poor peoplein this country. esternCaravan." rh.- \,1 The Campaign was organized into three phases.The first was to construct a shanry- town, ro become known as ResurrectionCiry on th€ National Mall berween the Lincoln Memorial and the WashingtonMonument. \7ith permits from the National ParkService, ResurrectionCiry was to house anylvherefrom 1500 to 3000 Campaign participants. Additional parricipantswould be housedin other group and family residencesaround the metropolitan area.The next phasewas to begin public demonstrationsand massmarches ro protesr the plight of poverty in this country. The Poor People'sCampaign was coming to \Tashington to demand that the federalgovernment in particular and the American people in generalopen rheir eyesro the economicinequaliry that existedin the U.S. The third and final phaseof the Campaign was ro launch a nationwide boycott of major industriesand shoppingareas ro prompt businessleaders to pressureCongress into meetingthe demands of the Campaign.lf the Campaignwas going to generateconstructive democratic change, it would haveto impact communitiesacross class lines.

Phasesof the Poor Peoplet Campaign PhaseOne . Constructinga highly visibleshantytown with peopleof different racial backgroundsin \Washington ' Daily demonstrationsand a massmarch on \Tashington PhaseTwo . Massarrests throughout the Capital Phase Three . A national economic boycott of Americas most powerful corpora- tions -Cited in RobertT. Chase,"Class Resurrection: The Poor People's Campaign of 1968 and ResurrectionCiry."

on April 29, 1968, the Poor People'scampaign was launched.It began in $7ash- t)n May 12. lqb:. : ington where key leadersof the campaign gatheredfor lobbying efFortsand media events :-iin-arrived in Vhshir:g .irn the construcrit-rnr,:

A Roland L. Freeman,The Mule Tiain: A Journryof HopeRemembered. (Nashville, TN RutledgeHill Press,1998), 90. '..\ru'AND UNSETTLINGFoR( : Propr-E'sCalapercx or r968 25

:'.:. .rrcsick and tiredofwait- bclt,redispersing around the country to formally initiate the regionaistarr-ups of the nine tWashington: .:..r, King'sdesire to perition cr:i'rns going to the "Eastern Caravan," the 'Appalachia Trail," the "South- "Midwest "lndian i.J !cnuinely respondto the

"l Had a Dream":Mule Tiain wagon : lhe Poor People's Marks,MS, April, 1968 RcsurrectionCiry." Photo:copyright Roland L. Freeman,1998

rrd. It beganin'W'ash- On May 12, 1968, the first of the Campaign 6x12y2n5-1[e Memphis Freedom :iirrts and media events Tiain-arrived in'Washington. On May 13, the first stake was driven into the ground to begin the construction of ResurrectionCiry. The encampment included not only tem- : tt:bered, (Nashville, TN: 15 Ibid.,90 It. A Nrw ANDUNSETTLTNG FoRCE I)ooR Proprp's Cawp..rrt,r.,

porary housing for Campaign participants,but also "a ciry hall, a dispensary,a dining tent, a 'Poor People'sUniversity,' a cultural ('Soul Center') tent, a psychiatrist,and even irs own zip code."r(' ResurrectionCiry was to becomea fully functional ciry that could sustain residents through the duration of "We will be hereuntil the Congressof the Campaign as they worked to organize the United Statesdecide that they are rallies,demonstrations and lobbying efForts going to do somethingabout the plight in Washington. Abernathy proclaimed in oi the poor peopleby doing awaywith his opening dedicationof the city that "\7e povcrn',unemployment and underem- will be hereuntil the Congressof the United plovment in this country" Statesdecide that they aregoing to do some- -Rev. Ralph Abernathy thing about the plight of the poor peopleby doing away with poverry unemployment and underemploymentin this country."'t W'hile ResurrectionCiry showedgreat potential, conditions in the encampmentde- terioratedas the Campaign continued. In Roland L. Freeman'saccount of Resurrection Ciry he explainsthat, "With its minimal living conditions, the wearher,overcrowding, undercoveragents, troublemakers, and conficts among political and socialconstituencies, ResurrectionCiry soon becamevirtually a metaphor for the very conditions being pro- testedby the campaign."l8tVith such internal tensionsrising, the assassinationof Robert Kennedyreon June 6 becamethe next major blow to the Poor People'sCampaign. Having not yet taken time to mourn the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Kennedyt death brought further grief to an alreadyemotionally depleted communiry. The efforts of the Poor People'sCampaign climaxed in the Solidariry Day Rally for Jobs,Peace, and FreedomonJune 19, 1968. Fifry-thousandpeople joined the 3,000 participants living in t}Zashingtonto rally around the demandsof the Poor People'sCampaign on Solidariry Day. This was the first and only massivemovement to take place during the Poor People'sCampaign. By this time, the permit for ResurrectionCiry was about to expire.SCLC requested a 30-day extensionof their permit, which was ro end on June 14. However, the Parks

16 RobertT. Chase"Class Resurrection: The Poor People's Campaign of 1968and Resurrec- rionCiry." Essays-tlF{ursry40 (lqq8): hrrp://salemwirchrrials.org/lournals/EHiEH+0/chase40. html \7 Freeman,I 10. l8 Freeman,I 09. l9 RobertKennedy was the democratic presidential candidate in 1968.He wasa longtime championof Civil Rightsand a srrongproponenr for economicreform. ReligioLr,r-

Photo: r r

-1-___ '.. \ru .\ND UNSETTLING FoRCE Poon PEopr-E'sCAMIATcN or r968 27

' , .i JispensarY. a dining .:r: .r t-,:r'chiatrist,and even '. :..:r.tionalciry that could . ::r:()LIqhthe duration of .:. rrr \ t.orked to organize r:i,\nr and lobbYingefforts l.r.rrn.rthv proclaimed in :.-..::()nof the ciry that "\7e -. ::r: (.ongressof the United .r:::'..r eregoing to do some- :-...:rtoi the poor PeoPlebY .: :",.o,, gJ11',unempioyment :::::nr in this country'"tt . :-..in the encamPmentde- ..:.:'. . .i.goLrotof Resurrection ::": \\ clther, overcrowding, - , ,:r.lrocill constituencies' : . r:i .()nditionsbeing Pro- i ::',r-.t\\.lssination of Robert : . . ,i.icsCampaign. Having :: \::r{. Jr.,Kennedfs death

" '-t .::l: t\'. :: : r,riidarityD^y Rally for . :'- ,:',cioined the 3,000 Par- ' -::- l',,,rrPeoPle's CamPaign ::r::'.:i() rakePlace during the

.' : , rrpire. SCLC requested ' ..:.: , -1.However, the Parks

, " :'.r:snof 1968and Resurrec- ..rnals/ EH/EH 40 I chase4}'

.)(r8.He was a long time Religiousgroups at the PoorPeople's Campaign Solidariry Day march, 'Washington, D.C., I 968 Photo:Oliver F. Atkins, copyright Oliver Atkins Collection, Special Collections& Archives,George Mason Universiry Libraries t8 A Nsw eNr UNssrruNc FoRcr I , rn Paopln'sCellparc\ ()i . .

Director only granted them a one week extension. This affirmed the overarching desire The closingof Re.rrr:.-, in \Washingtonto shut down Resurrection Ciry. While the numbers from Solidarity Day rional demonstrations.\():-_t J demonstrateda successfulmarch, many suggestedthat marcherscame out of a senseof ob- ,ind resourcesfor the (..u-_:;... ligation ratherthan hope that the Campaigncould bring about realchange in the country. reople around the idea rir.r:: The organizersof the Campaign continued to insist that the goals they had accomplished .r n.as simply movirrgro .i :r:r were only the beginning and that the setbackshindering would not lead the Campaign -enfers.Attention to rhi. tr::... to its defeat.Abernathy expressedthe continued promisehe saw in the Campaign during :lcctions,the continuedg:,,.., "Today, his speechon Solidariry Day: Solidariry Day, is not the end of the Poor People's .:r vt_riy €'mar,in Vietn.rrrr. Campaign.In fact, today is reallyonly our beginning.We areonly just beginningto fight. We will not give up the battle until the Congressof the United Statesdecides to open the The Succes doors of America and allow the nation'spoor to enter as full-fledged citizensinto this land \ f.rnv talk about the Poor l):, of wealth and opportuniry.":o : :rJ not resultin the .r,...rr:,,.. ',\'hen we rhink about rir.. .::: A Proposalfor an "Economic Bill of Rights" put forth for Solidarity ::rud, the violencerhar oc.ir::, Day by Bayard Rustin :. fbster the Campaign \\.( .ir-J 1. Recommit the FederalGovernmenr to the Full Employmenr Act of 1946 :1()\\'evet thereare deepe r i...,, and legislatethe immediate creationof at leastone million sociallyuseful career ,,r .. . PeoplesCampaigrr t,r jobs in public service :.::n left unfinished. 2. Adopt the pending housing and urban developmentact of 1968 When we listen ro thc ;.., 3. Repealthe 90th Congresstpunitive welfarerestrictions in the 1967 Social ::':ir responsesto qu.stio,.,..,,, SecuriryAct... .':. long-rermachieveme nr. ,,. . 4. Extend to all farm workers the right - guaranteedunder the National La- . :ople's Campaignon rhe .rsi::. bor RelationsAct - to organizeagricultural labor unions .'.i. .rfailure comes irtn q,,..,,,, 5. Restorebudget cuts for bilingual education, Head Start, summer jobs, . ,: havebeen achieved. Kjnr. Economic Opportunity Act, Elementaryand SecondaryEducation Acts t,,'ple aroundrhis counrrr :. , : ': : I)oor Peoples Camp.riun.,. . . : : .hangein our socien..'1h,,., The Campaignt persistenceand determinationwas not matchedby support in \Wash- ': r \\'omenand \Washington men who c.tr.;..., ington. Many of the marchers left immediately after Solidarity Day ended. -..-..1 poor acrossthis coLlnrr....,. Thosewho remained at ResurrectionCity were forced to leaveon June 24, 1968. That day, - : , itnenr to reignitethe l',,, ,. as rlvo hundred marchersgathered for a rally at the Department of Agriculture, the resi- Ileigniting poor the lrc,,p... dents remaining at ResurrectionCiry were surroundedby police dressedin riot gearand '::':,,Juce the acrionsthrr r,,,,^ told they had 56 minutes to leave the premisespeacefully in order to avoid arrest.After : '"]]].riSn.|swe rakeup rhr r:::: one hour : passed,the police forcibly removedand arrestedthe remainingresidents. Shortly '-. \\ r w.ill examinerhrcr . after, ResurrectionCiry was bulldozed-no remnants remained. 1,.,p,

20 Fager,81. '.. \ru'.\ND UNSETTLING FoRCE Poon Propn's CeuparcN or 196g ,o

:::'..J the overarchingdesire The closing of Resurrectioncity was rhe 6nar blow ro rhe campaign. Eight addi_ ..:::i.rrsiiom SolidarityDaY tional demonstrations' some with mass arrests, took place after June )4,-bur rli. .rr..gy ::. ..rnrcout of a senseof ob- and resourcesfor the campaign were quickly d.pl.r.d. scLC l.;;.-";;;r.o .'r",,, .-: :..i1change in the countrY. people around the idea that the ca-p"ig.r in washington had not been defeatedand thar i .... rhevhad accomplished it was simply moving to a new phasewhich^would .rfo-p"., narionwide boycortsof ciry : \ .lr'npaignwould not lead cenrers.Arrention to this final phaseof rhe Campaign, howe,rer,was deflectedby the 196g .,.'. :n thc Campaignduring elections'the continued g.o*th of the middt. .t"i, th. o.rgoing challengesof u.s. ::.. .nd oi the Poor PeoPle's involvementin Vietnam. "nd ::...ir.rst beginning to fight. ..: t:.itcsdecides to oPenthe The Successof the poor peoplet Campaign :::.r:r.dcitizens into this land \lany talk about poor peopres the campaign t.iru^r.,p.i-"ri/u.cause ...o.lmic", " rhe campaign did not result in the creationof bill of rights,,, aia not end poverty. \\'hen we think ", ".,a about the unceasingrain that turned R".su.r.ction for Solidarity ciry into a poor of forth nlud' the violencethat occurredwithin the encampmenr,or the shrinking resourcesleft to fosterthe campaign we areled to dismissthis mtment in history asa failedcampaign. -'.:\.\)\'ment Act of 1946 However'there are deeper lessons that must be examinedwhen studyingrhe historv .o.i.rllv career of the :. useful PoorPeoplet campaign of 1968' \7e must explorewhat it achievedand whar goalshave beenleft unfinished. when we listen to.rhe people n'ho participaredin rhe.oor peoples ,:r. campaigr-rand in the 1967 Social therrresponses to questionsaround how the Campaignallected rheir ll'es, ,r. lr.gi,ito r.. rhe long-term achievementsof the Campaign. whe' rre reflecron the irnpactof rhe poor ::Jer the National La- Peopletcampaign on the agencyof pooi p.-opl. todar,,the that rhe campaign asa failurecomes into question.\x/hile th. "rrr-f,,on " ip..ifi., concrerego"i, of th. campaign may \t.rrt, summer nor have been achieved, King's vision to recognize d.u.Iop the leadership ",rd of poor rrion Acts peoplearound this country is a realirythat remains srrongtoday. while the participantsof thc Poor People'scampaign were forced to leavewashirigton, they did nor srop working ror changein our sociew. Thoseworking to end pou.rryiod"y r,*a support in \Wash- on the shouldersof ..:-:r.-dbv rhc rvomen and men who caravan.r.d to*w"rhington in r96g. It i. ,t,. .n^orr, .:::: SolidarityDay ended. of the orga- nlzedpoor acrossthis country who demand r."l-.h"rrg. in our socieryand inspire :: l,.rne)4, 1968.That day, rnovemenr a new to reignitethe poor peoplet Campaign. r:': ,)t .\griculture,the resi- Reigniting the Poor Peoples campaign, ho*.u.r, does and nor mean we shourd simply ,-. Jressed in riot gear rtproduce the actions that took place in i96g. Th... are lessonswe ,:.lrr to avoid arrest.After musr learn from the c:mpaign aswe take up the unfi.rirh.d businessof creatingKing,s vision for a new :: ::.ii ni ng residents.Shortll' x;, \\t Amer_ will examinethree particular lessons hcre. :.-. .'ron 30 A Ntv'AND UNSEI'TLING FoRCF Peopu,'sCeup.lrc;r , I

bv -l Leadership Development rhe dispossessed.l. . .il4ren ki.rg .pok. of building the leadershipoF the poor, his vision did not end when sucha movemenr..\\r\:.. \Washington. ing peopi.. poor people in King's understanding of leadershiprequired an analy- rhe Poor r ,: "r.iu.d massive ,i, of ttr. unjust sysremscreating oppression. King recognizedthe complex relationship civil disobc.ir.:.- to the Vietnam \Var rhePoor People's (..r:_-:;..,. that existedberween racism, Poverry and militarism. His objection oppressionaround ment would spoketo his largeroppositiorro policiesthat createdexploitation and require;..ir-; . nriddle the globe: classin conrr,,r::: ro be a major sturnblrng:. Thereis somethingseductively tempting about stoppingthere and sendingus all off on what in some circleshas become a popular crusadeagainst the war Multiracial Unin. in Vietnam. I saywe must enrerthe struggle,but I wish to go on now to say rne campaign\\r..,.-: something even more disturbing. The war in vietnam is but a symptom of parricularneeds of f". d..p.t. malady within the American spirit, and if we ignore this sober- all rr:::: " rarivesfrom Native ..\nr.:: ing realiry we will find ourselvesorganizing clergy-and lay [persons]-con- \We [-uro American conrn]1.:r.: cernedcommittees for the next generation.... will be marching for these rrrious Africa] and racialand erhrr:.. IGuatemala,Peru, Thailand, cambodia, Mozambiqueand South theCampaign, rhe con-r::: a dozen orher namesand attending rallieswithout end unlessthere is a sig- Congress.Reis Tijerin.r and profound changein American life and policy'2' .r:r.: nificant .rrrrounding culture.rn.: :. Understandingthe interconnectedwebs of oppressionthat plaguedour socierywas.a {rnerican communirir. ..,.: task King intendeJ for all membersof this movement.However, in the midst of the daily \\.ls not on the sideor :. : \ to attend to King's ,trrrggl.. disorganization of ResurrectionCiry little effort was left tied coalirion. ".d As do,-Lrlr.:: vision of Ieadershipdevelopment. \larch, the Campaien,,..,. rcquiredro undersranclr::. ruild Massive Civil Disobedience genuinerelation:h;;.. : changeKing envisionedcalled for a revolution of valuesthat would .r.rders The srructural within rhesqgp, , ;.. world. In demand a resrrucruringof current economic and political systemsaround the rxlSt. his words: Theseare revolutionary times. All overthe globe,[people] are revolting against vrl the wombs of a frail old systemsof exploitation and oppressionand out of Ihe needfor a poor i)c,,i.. . The shirtlessand itt world new sysremsof justice and equaliryare being born. million people,r. 1,.,.,i barefootpeople of the land are rising uP asnever before'12 -.r.re.where the averl{..i_. .r .r middle Such changewould nor come from rhe demands of a few hundred or even a few thou- classis r.r1,rq. . .:imand thar sandpeople. King's vision wasof an internationalnonviolent movementof the masses,led rheir l,:r,i. : ...: .rrrlwage cannot be or.r,,, . :.clore us. The poor pe,,1.. . 21 King,'ATime to BreakSilence," 240. :ron.rwhich we can learn. 22 16id,242. \rt .r,r'.DUNserrrtNc Foncr [)r.opr.E.'sCnvpercN or r968 .)l

ri the dispossessed.The Poor People'sCampaign of 1968,however, was unable to produce ' : . . :.ior.rdid not end when :uch a movement.Aside from SolidariryDay, many of the marchesrhat took placedur- :nq the Poor People's -,.'1"hip requiredan analy- Campaign consistedof a few hundred parricipanrs.King's vision of . :-: :iri' complex relationshiP rrrssivecivil disobediencewas deterredby a complacentAmerican middle class.While : :-:r(rlr to the Vietnam \Var rhe Poor People'sCampaign emphasizedleadership from the ranks of the poor, this move- : :: ,: .rrrdoppression around nrer.rt would require participation acrossclass lines. The lack of solidariry from the growing middle classin confronting the root causesof racism and poverry in this country p.o,r.J io be a major stumbling block for the Poor People'sCampaign. :.r:r .1r]dsending us ..,.:r .rqainstthe war Multiracial Unity - , glL)oI1 nOW tO Say The campaign'svision of building a multiracial . :.ut .t svmptom of coalition that could respond ro the particular needsof all members in the coalition .: :{nore this sober- was never fully achieved.\X/hile represen- tarivesfrom Native American, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, African American and r. ;',ersons]-con- I'-uroAmerican communities participatedin the campaign,relationships berween these - ::r.rrchingfor these racialand ethnic constituencieswere never :.: :rrtrth Africa] and 'arious fully fostered.As the major organizerof the Campaign,the concernsput forth by SCLC seemed .::.:.. thereis a sig- to dominate the demandsmade to Congress'Reis Tijerina and Corky Gonzalesofren contesredthat the land rightsand issues turrounding culture and educationbrought forth bv the Native American and Mexican : :'..rguedour socierywas a .\merican communitieswere being ignored. l.ooking back, ne begin to realizethar rime :r the midst of the daily -: \\'asnot on the sideof the Campaign in building the rel:itionshipsneeded to fostera uni- .,..r.lcti to attend to King's tied coalition.As documentedin this article, the 6rsr rnulriethnic n.reetingtook placeir.r \farch, the Campaign was launchedin Mav ar-rdrhe Campaign ended bv Julv.The time requiredto understandthe particularstruggles thar rhe virriousgroupings were facing,to build genuinerelationships that could help to supporrindi'idual struggles,and to develop valuesthat would .i.,rn oi Ieaderswithin thesegroups who sharedan advancedanalvsi.s of the socialsysrem did not :::r-...rround the world' In exist.

.i:f rcvoltingagainst Where Do'We Go From Here? ::rr \\'ombsof a frail The need for a Poor People'sCampaign today is apparenr.In a country where more than ::r lhe shirtlessand .10million people are living in poverty,where more than 50 million people lack health care,where the averageage of a homelessperson is 9 yearsold, and the wherethe existence .:nJredor evena few thou- of a middle classis rapidly diminishing, there is a need for people ro come togetherand '.rr\cnre t-lt of the masses,led demand that their basichuman rights to food, shelter,education, healthcare, and a living wage cannot be overlooked. \7e must learn from the lessonsof those who have gone beforeus. The Poor People'sCampaign of 1968 is not a model to replicate,but a lesson fiom which we can learn. Looking back, we recognizethe tremendous stumbling blocks il A Ne\r e.NnUNstrruNc Font i i l)r.oplg's CaMpRtcr ,,.

th,rt hindered the Campaign, from King's assassinationto conflict surrounding the \Var Resources in Vietnam. The context in which the Campaign took placemust be examined.\(/e must alsoremember the successof the Campaign in illuminating the needto build uniry across nase,RobertT. "Cl.r.. ii. racial,ethnic, and classlines and to promote the developmentof new leadersin that pro- ResurrectionCirr. .. cess. One immediate step that can be taken is to explorewhat it meansand iooks like to .igrr.Charles . Unccrr.;.,.- reignite a Poor People'sCampaign today.Examining the history of the 1968 Campaign Rapids,MI: \X'illi.rnr:i illustratesthe tremendouswork rhat remainsto be done in building a coalition of leaders that can truly addressthe needs, fears, and demands of all the diverse grouPs involved. iieman, Roland L. Ti,, '..,: lWashington, \X/hile solidariry was rhe goal of the participants' march on the hastein which RurledgeHill Prc.. . . the Campaign was crearedleft litde time for genuine relationshipbuilding betweenthe variousconsriruencies involved and overlookedthe necessiryofdeveloping a sophisticated I,rney.Michael K. G,,:,;...' analysiscapable of provoking structural reform. As we look at what it means to reignite Last Campaign Ncn \, the Poor People'sCampaign today,we must make spaceto hear the storiesof the people that will make up the body of this struggle. \7e must take the time to learn from one ickson,Thomas F. l:rp,,; , ; we ate facing, and to build a movement .,. anorher,to critically understandthe problems Srrugle for Eco,to,,.:. that embracesthe uniquenessof who we are in our attempt to come togetherto work for 2007. justice and equaliry. Like King, we may not get to seethe fruits of our labor, but if we are we must realize truly committed to taking up King's vision of the Poor People'sCampaign, {ing, Martin Luther,Jr. i. that our commirment to ending injusticeextends beyond our individual lives.In King's Vritings and Speect:,t. words,the time hascome to breakthe betrayalof our own silences.It is the storiesof those York:Harper Coliirr. . who havemade this commirment and who areworking to reigniteKing's vision of a Poor PeopletCampaign today that arebeginning to be told in this book. --, "l've Beento the \lrL::r:. New York:Harper (.,,..:

--. "Nonviolenceand \.,,:.:. Hope F.d.James \1. \\.r.

--. "Where Do \7e C,o Ir:,,:: New York:Harpe r ( ,, .: Pi,rlr.E's CRrvrpeIcNor r968 )3 \ \r.v'AND UNSETTLING Foni

,,::dictsurrounding the War urces :::'.r.tbe examined'\(/e must "class The Poor People'scampaign of 1968 and :-..necd to build uniry across ch.r.c. RobertT. Resurrection: Volume 40. Univerity of Virginia, 1998. :'.:!rl ne\\'leaders in that Pro- ResurrectionCiry." in Essayin History:

(Jncertain Tbe Poor Peoplei WashingtonCampaign. Grand .i: :t nreansand looks like to F:qcr. Charle s. Resurrection: Rapids,MI: William B. EerdmansPublishing Company' 1969' -:,,:, of the 1968 CamPaign :'-.:..iinqa coalitionof leaders of Hope Remembered.Nashville, TN: ::rr JiversegrouPs involved' Frecnran, Roland L. TbeMule Tiain: A Journey ..:r:ngton,the hastein which RutledgeHill Press,1998. , ::.irip building betweenthe TheMempbis Strike,Martin Luther Kings : .r:' elopinga soPhisticated Honer', Michael K. Going Down JerichoRoad: 2007. *.,:',rhlt it meansto reignite Last Campaign New York: Norton, :'.:.,:tirc storiesof the PeoPle to Human Rigbts:Martin Luther King, and rhe : ::t: tilrle to learn from one I:;kson, Thomas F. From Ciuil Rights Jr, PA: Universiry of Pennsyivania Press, ':- .i:tJ to build a movement Strugle for EconomicJustice. Philadelphia, for 2007. i -rrltlc togetherto work '.- :. ,\I our labor,but if we are 'A BreakSilence." In A Testamentof Hope; TheEssenial : . \ .1nlPlign,we must realize King, Martin Luther,Jr. Time to writings and speechesof Martin Luther King, Jr. Ed. JamesM. vashington. Nerv -- .:rJiriduallives. In King's ::',r.-.lt is the storiesof those York: Harper Collins, 1986. ': ::'.:i. King'svision of a Poor M. Washington...... ,,.rk, ---. "l've Beento the Mountaintop." Ir.rA TestdmentoJ'Hope F,d. James New York: Harper Collins, 1986.

---. "Nonviolenceand SocialChange." In TrumpetoJ'Consciousness \n A T\stamentof 1986' Hope Ed. JamesM. Washington.Neu'York: Harper Collins,

,--. "\fhere Do \7e Go From Here?" In A Tistamentof Hope Ed. JamesM. \Tashington. NewYork: Harper Collins, 1986.