“The time is always right to do the right thing”
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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In 1894 on the east side of Chicago Illinois Fritz Pollard, the first African-American to play in the National Football League (NFL) was born. He lead the Akron Pros to AFPA (NFL) Championship in 1920. In 1921, he was elected co-head coach while maintaining his position as starting halfback. Pollard’s life had a quantifiable impact on our nations continuous ”march” for civil rights, but it was not the end. In 1926, Pollard and the other eight African-American men in the NFL were removed from the league and never returned.
In 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia Martin Luther King, Jr. was born. King, whose life would and to this day does have a seismic impact on race-relations and social injustice, used the emerging foundation created by pioneers before him. Combined with an unequaled commitment and courage, King started the tangible change both within and outside of the U.S’s borders.
Roughly 5000 miles outside the confines of Atlanta, in 1936 4-x Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens set consecutive records at the Berlin Olympics and ignited a rash protest against the unjust rule of Hitler’s Aryan race. Owens, prior to the lighting of the torch, become the first African-American to garner a athletic sponsorship. Gebruder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Adidas) signed him.
Owen’s was followed by Brooklyn Dodger’s great Jackie Robinson in 1947, Charlie Sifford in 1957 and countless other notable minority athletes who paved the way for the likes of ESPN’s cover athletes today.
King earned a sociology degree from the prestigious Morehouse college in 1948. During his seminary, he came under the guidance of Morehouse President Benjamin E. Mays. May’s had a significant influence on King’s spiritual development. May, a advocate for social justice and urged King to use Christianity as a vessel to ignite change.
King spearheaded the civil rights movement in the mid-1950’s as the head of SCLC, Southeastern Christian Leadership Conference. He, along with the strength of his wife Coretta Scott, used the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 as a springboard into his life’s work and unmeasurable accomplishments.
King, whose life is a myriad of cultural and societal changing moments, can not be summed up by a singular moment.
On June 23, 1963 He delivered the prerequisite to his infamous ”I have a dream” (August 28th) speech inside the walls of Detroit’s own Cobo Hall. The words of King’s speech preached have and will continue to echo throughout all of the United States until, and well beyond the day, complete social equality and justice is served.
King’s life did not mark the beginning nor the end of our nations fight for, and against, racism. His life was the continuation of the pioneers before him and the springboard for the years preceding. The heartbeat of social justice did not stop when King’s life was punitively stolen in 1968.
Months later, gold medalist Tommie Smith and Bronze Medalist John Carlos made a 
statement to America on the podium of the XIX Olympics in Mexico City that we shall overcome, time and time again.
A single moment in history is not an acceptable means of social equality. A singular individual breaking the color barrier of a professional sport is not a signifier of a just society. Social equality is not approximately two-thirds of the NFL players being African-American, nor a ratio of roughly 1 to 8 representing head coaching candidates of color between 1963 and 2013.
Social equality is not reducing racism, it is eliminating in its entirety from the substructure of our economic, academic and social structures dictating the daily lives of all citizens both within and outside the U.S. Racial equality is not present in America today. I wholeheartedly recognize the systematic racism present, and the privilege I am given as a white individual and a male citizen. I will never understand the terror that King faced, or the fear of an African-Americans parent for their child’s safety in the wake of increased police brutality. I do not have countless fears of the minorities whom I walk by on the streets of Detroit and look into their eyes.
There is a evident and significant divide still present today based off one’s racial make up. Racism is evident in all forms of ”American” life’s today. It may not be in the same shape and manner as the 1960’s, but it is as vigorous and destructive. Open your eyes America.
Unequal opportunity for housing, academic inequality, opportunity for employment, sustainable income, ”American” dream, colorblindness, etc are all signs of persistent and significant racism still population our society in 2016.
Have we as a society progressed since the Civil rights moment? Yes.
Have we achieved the ”Dream” King echoed to ever ear in America both in 1963 and to this day? No.
Have we progressed as far as we should have roughly 50+ years after the origin of the civil rights movement? No.
So, in the wake of celebrating the life and incredible accomplishments of one Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., take a moment and look around you. Look beyond the surface, and look within the heart of America and the sub-structures composing our lives.
We as a nation have evolved, we have progressed and we will overcome racial injustice. But we have a long way to go.
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