“The Human Rights Legacy of MLK Jr.: Lessons for Today” with Reverend Dr. William Barber II
Dr. William J Barber II, one of today’s most prominent voices in the struggle for change in society, spoke on October 27, 20221, about the human rights legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Reverend Barber claimed that where politics are weaponized and where almost fifty percent of people live in poverty, there is a nation in a moral, economic and political crisis. Reverend Barber called on his audience to refuse to accept the pervasive ills of poverty as inevitable and join the work for liberty and justice for all. He reminded the attendees of how interrelated we all are and warned of the dangers of silence in the face of injustice and violence. Quoting Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Elie Wiesel, he called on the audience to interfere whenever and wherever human lives and dignity are in jeopardy. Throughout his lecture, Dr. Barber encouraged the audience to join the Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly & Moral March on Washington on June 18, 2022, to break the silence and build a stage for poor, low-wealth, impacted people of every race, creed, and color to speak. He argued that it is only by coming together that we can bring about a Third Reconstruction which he claimed is the only path towards a more just society.
The transcript of Reverend Barber’s talk can be accessed HERE.
About the Speaker: Dr. William J. Barber II is a pastor and social justice advocate engaged in grass-roots movements based on the moral tenets of faith-based communities and the US constitution. As President & Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach and Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, he leads a nationwide struggle to end systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, and environmental destruction. He serves as Bishop of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, Visiting Professor at Union Theological Seminary, and Pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Dr. Barber is the author of four books and a prominent public speaker.