Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a celebrated figure in Americas history. Today, we honor the day he was born and draw inspiration from the legacy of words, actions, and leadership he left behind. King spoke against violence on the streets of America, in particular in its ghettos, as well as in the war of Vietnam. Today, we embrace MLK as a WOW Leader, but at the time he was preaching, there was obviously much controversy and angst about his civil rights mission.

In his April 4, 1967 speech in New York City, King called for peace even while emerging African-American leaders such as Malcolm X disagreed with his methods. King held consistently to his message of nonviolence, proclaiming, As I have walked among the desperate, rejected, and angry young men (in the ghettos of the North), I have told them that Molotov cocktails and rifles would not solve their problems. I have tried to offer them my deepest compassion while maintaining my conviction that social change comes most meaningfully through nonviolent action.”

In the spirit of MLK, strive to be a WOW leader in your own right by:

• Being consistent, honest, and true to your own values. “I say to you today that I still stand by nonviolence.” (Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 1967)
• Having confidence in your own convictions, even when others disagree or try to persuade you otherwise. Malcolm X came out against King’s preaching, stating: “Concerning nonviolence, it is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks.”
• Leading positive change without resorting to radical or disruptive implementation techniques. “We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.” (from King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech.)
• Standing for a cause or goal that extends beyond yourself or your group’s individual interests. “I cannot forget that the Nobel Peace Prize was also a commission, a commission to work harder than I had ever worked before for the brotherhood of man. This is a calling that takes me beyond national allegiances.” (April 4, 1967)
• Persevering during challenging and difficult situations; recognizing that when your goal seems the hardest achieve, you are probably almost there. “When our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds and our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, we will know that we are living in the creative turmoil of a genuine civilization struggling to be born.” (Nobel Peace Price Acceptance Speech, 1964)

–Sheri Staak