6 Antiracist MLK Quotes About White People That Remind Us That He Dreamed... In Color

While so many love to incorrectly assert that MLK was colorblind, it turns out that MLK had a lot to say to and about those of us who are white. Below I will share six MLK quotes about white people that remind us that yes, he certainly dreamed... but his dream was in full color. So, I'm gearing up for MLK Day this year with some extra reminders that if you aren't working toward true liberation today, but you love to quote MLK's dream once a year, you're doing it wrong.

In fact, you very likely would have been one of those angry people screaming at students trying to integrate schools, or pouring sodas onto nonviolent protestors integrating lunch counters. And if you weren't one of "those people," you more than likely would have supported them, whether you did it quietly in your home or loudly in the streets. Does that horrify you? It should. And before you gasp in horror and leave this post, I really hope you will read more to find out what I mean. This is your call-in, and your call to do better.

The good news is, history doesn't HAVE to repeat itself, and if we are still here, we still can grow and change. Remember, as Maya Angelou told us, when we know better, we must do better. And we can. Let's reflect deeply as we read these quotes this year.

Which one strikes you the most, and why?

Which one makes you uncomfortable or challenges you?

Let's dig deep and do more to realize MLK's true dream, in all the vibrant shades of radical and uncompromising love that it will take to make it happen.

Six Powerful MLK Quotes About White People:

1. “Whites, it must frankly be said, are not putting in a similar mass effort to reeducate themselves out of their racial ignorance. It is an aspect of their sense of superiority that the white people of America believe they have so little to learn.”

2. "White Americans must realize that justice for black people cannot be achieved without radical changes in the structure of our society."

3. "The problems of racial injustice and economic injustice cannot be solved without a radical redistribution of political and economic power."

4. "...Large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity."

5. "Loose and easy language about equality... about brotherhood fall pleasantly on the ear, but...with each modest advance the white population promptly raises the argument that the Negro has come far enough. Each step forward accents an ever-present tendency to backlash."

6. "Capitalism was built on the exploitation of black slaves and continues to thrive on the exploitation of the poor, both black and white, both here and abroad."

If you've never read these quotes before, the first question you should ask yourself is, "why?" If you've seen them before, how did they impact you, and what did you do with that impact? Why has MLK's history been whitewashed and sanitized so much? What can be done to reclaim his true vision?

We can definitely begin by sharing these and other powerful MLK quotes about white people with the white people we know. Then, we can translate his dreams into our actions. We all must keep learning and unlearning, but we also must act.

Does this mean everyone has to go out into the streets to protest or get into heated political conversations you don't necessarily feel prepared or even want to have? No. But doing nothing is not an option. Everyone has a lane, and we all need to find the lane that fits our skills, capacity, and passions, at each stage of our lives. How are you interrupting racism at your place of work? Within your own home? With your children? In your classroom? With your shopping choices? With your priorities? All power to the people. Use your power wisely.

Looking for liberation-rooted resources that are developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant, thought-provoking, and engaging? Want to expand on MLK's true dream when working with your children at home and in the classroom? Check these resources out!

Want to learn more about MLK's true dream for liberation? Check out these infographics from Left Northeast.

A link to their organization's website is embedded in the last image.

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