A Knock at Midnight: Memories of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This weekend America will observe the birthday celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There will be programs in churches, community centers, and colleges. This columnist would like to encourage people to take the time to read the words of Dr. King to gain a better understanding of his work. Our youth should also be encouraged to read his books and discuss them in their classes. I have a book in my collection entitled: “A Knock At Midnight, Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. The book was edited by Clayborne Carson and Peter Holloran. In these sermons Dr. King reflected on many topics including religion, the role of the church, the American Dream, and so much more. Following is an excerpt from the book where Dr. King remembers the dangerous part of his work in seeking equality and justice for Blacks and the poor of this country.
These are the words of Dr. King: “I will never forget one night very late. It was around midnight. And you can have some strange experiences at midnight. I had been out meeting with the steering committee all that night. And I came home, and my wife was in bed, and I immediately crawled into bed to get some rest to get up early the next morning to try to keep things going. And immediately the telephone started ringing and I picked it up. On the other end was an ugly voice. That voice said to me, in substance, “Nigger, we are tired of you and your mess now. And if you aren’t out of this town in three days, we’re going to blow your brains out and blow up your house.”
I’d heard these things before, but for some reason that night it got to me. I turned over and I tried to go to sleep, but I couldn’t sleep. Yes, I was frustrated, bewildered. I got up and went back to the kitchen and I started to warm some coffee, thinking that, coffee would give me a little relief. Then I started thinking about many things. I pulled back on the theology and philosophy that I had just studied in the universities, trying to give philosophical and theological reasons for the existence and the reality of sin and evil, but the answer didn’t come there. I sat there and thought about a beautiful little daughter who had just been born about a month earlier. We have four children now, but we only had one then. She was the darling of my life. I’d come in night after night and see that little gently smile. I sat at the table thinking about that little girl and thinking about the fact that she could be taken away from me in any minute. I started thinking about a dedicated, devoted, loyal wife who was over there asleep. And she could be taken from me or I could be taken from her. And I got to the point where I couldn’t take it any longer. I was weak.
Something said to me, You can’t call on Daddy now, he’s up in Atlanta, a hundred and seventy-five miles away. You can’t even call on Mama now. You’ve got to call on that something in that person that your Daddy used to tell you about. That person that can make a way out of no way. I bowed over that cup of coffee. I never will forget it. And oh, yes, I prayed and I prayed out loud that night. Lord, I’m down here trying to do what’s right. I am weak now. I’m losing courage. And it seemed at that moment that I could hear an inner voice saying to me, “Martin Luther, Stand up for Righteousness, Stand up for Justice,Sstand up for Truth, and lo I will be with you, yes even until the end of the world.”
These are the powerful words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As we celebrate his life never forget his sacrifice and his determination to move on with his work despite the many threats that he faced. We must continue his work and roll up our sleeves to make a difference in this world as a tribute to him.