E
edwest2
Guest
There’s some misunderstanding, and for some, an acceptance of easy or simple answers. I’m not referring to youI’m glad this discussion on Dr. King was started, even though it’s a few years old. I was watching this video:
youtube.com/watch?v=bOOL3BYaIEQ
To me it’s one of his most powerful speeches, because it was relevant to his time, and it’s especially relevant to ours today. As Catholics, our faith would compel us to support his cause, and because of how Dr King went about fighting for it in a non-violent way.
That being said, I’m very disappointed in the anti-Catholic sentiments his father had. Perhaps Dr. King had them as well, not entirely sure, but I don’t think he would have went out of his way to have us join the fight if certain events had not occurred. His imprisonment being one. After he was jailed and when Kennedy fought to have Dr. King released. Dr. Kings father had a change of heart and softened his views towards Catholics. I think he threw his support for JFK’s presidency which was a bold move for any protestant from the south during that time. Imagine getting up before a congregation of Baptists in the South and telling them you’re voting for a Catholic. They must have been shocked.
What I’ve never understood about the African Americans who were devoutly and almost entirely protestant is how they never looked at Americas history. History from a purely religious perspective, not just a racial one. Since its inception. America never treated Catholics equally with non-Catholics. That’s historical fact. There weren’t many states early in our history were we could have openly practised our faith. So I never could understand why African Americans wouldn’t have been drawn or could at least relate to a faith that was treated as unfairly as they were. Just a thought. I just think we could have greatly helped the cause, and had helped a whole lot earlier, had we only been given the chance.

amazon.com/History-Black-Catholics-United-States/dp/0824514955
amazon.com/Black-White-Catholic-Interracialism-1947-1956/dp/0826514847/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1439663364&sr=1-10&keywords=black+catholic
I lived through the time period. I mourned his passing along with that of Robert Kennedy.
God bless,
Ed