Monday, Dec. 4, is the 56th anniversary of the creation of the Poor People’s Campaign. Started by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization led by our namesake, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., its goal was to address unemployment, housing shortages and the impact of poverty.
It was, perhaps, King’s most difficult and dangerous plan because it sought to unite all the poor, regardless of race, which means it was uniting the most vulnerable against the most powerful. It included building a shantytown within sight of the White House and the Capitol in Washington, D.C.; there would be acts of civil disobedience to disrupt the city and the federal government. Those in the shantytown would recruit and train poor people to join the protest; they would stay in Washington until they could compel the federal government to address the issues of poverty and wealth inequality.
That plan is why MLK50: Justice Through Journalism often tries to remind folks of the radical King, the one who pushes against the vanilla “I have a dream” version that politicians try to claim pieces of, randomly and inappropriately.
And it’s also a reminder of how far we haven’t come because here we are, more than a half-century later, still struggling with these same issues, still being duped and divided by powerful forces to fight each other instead of the powers that be.
I mark the anniversary because just as there is a new Poor People’s Campaign, there is a new energy around these issues. For instance, collective action among workers has had some victories.
“News” isn’t static; it’s ever-changing. Still, as we plan for next year, we’re thinking about these big themes in our coverage of Memphis. After all, when Memphians talk about crime as the top issue, we know that poverty, inequality, housing and unemployment are all factors that can fuel everything from robbery to homicide.
In 2024, our goal is to equip our readers with what they need to know so we can all push this city’s leaders to address these issues. We also want to foster the idea that the community can create solutions on its own.
I encourage you to hold us accountable to this goal by sending us story ideas, feedback and encouragement.
King’s assassination prevented him from activating his campaign. By adopting his name and his values, we’ve chosen to continue the work.
Adrienne Johnson Martin is executive editor of MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. Contact her at adrienne.martin@mlk50.com
This story is brought to you by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, a nonprofit newsroom focused on poverty, power and policy in Memphis. Support independent journalism by making a tax-deductible donation today. MLK50 is also supported by these generous donors.