The Power of Unity

King urges his audience to consider the social change the Black community might be able to achieve if they unite their efforts to form a collective front, noting how Pharaohs in ancient Egypt would keep their slaves in bondage by keeping them fighting amongst themselves. King believes that the Black community has a great power at their disposal, yet it's a power they can only use if they avoid divisive internal battles and focus instead on the ways they can come together.

This particular speech was given in support of the striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, a cause King knows many Black individuals don’t feel a sense of connection or commitment to. Those who were not directly impacted by the dire situation facing Black sanitation workers would find it all too easy to focus instead on their own families and their own daily struggles, placing the importance of self over the importance of their brothers and sisters who are fighting for change. King urges these individuals to reject complacency and remember that all of their futures are interconnected. Thus, he asks the community to “be concerned about your brother” by participating in marches and strikes, even if it is personally inconvenient. 

King also references the idea of unity in his discussion of the economic power that the Black community could collectively leverage. Though they may be poor individually, together, they represent an economic force greater than the vast majority of countries in the world. By refusing in solidarity to spend their dollars at companies who had proven intolerant and unjust, the Black community could collectively force social change by removing a great source of revenue from those companies. 

Christian Guidance

King was a Baptist minister whose Christian principles were deeply connected to the causes he fought so passionately for. While he does acknowledge the ways the American government has failed the Black community, he also issues a challenge to his fellow Black Americans to hold themselves to high standards of nonviolent behavior, as modeled by Christ. King also speaks directly to the pastors who are in attendance at this speech, urging them to follow the lead of Biblical men like Amos, who fought for justice. He also points to the selfishness of some ministers who are only concerned with themselves, instead praising those who have “relevant” ministries that are founded on true Christlike work. 

King reminds the Christian community of the dangers of being too complacent on Earth while awaiting eternal glory. He points out that while it is important to consider the eventual rewards found in Heaven, it is also important to minister to the earthly needs of the Black community by making sure their physical well-being is secured. The “new Jerusalem” is important, King says, but working toward creating a “new Atlanta . . . new Philadelphia … [and] new Los Angeles” is urgent work that cannot not be dismissed. Ultimately, in urging his followers to refrain from both violence and complacency, King urges them to follow Christ’s principles in their march toward change.

Embracing Selflessness

King uses the parable of the Good Samaritan to demonstrate the importance of inconveniencing oneself for the needs of others. In this parable, a traveling man is beaten and robbed by thieves and left for dead on the side of the road to Jericho. Two men, one of them a priest, travel along a road and see an injured man. Rather than stop to help, they pass him by, wishing to avoid becoming involved in the situation. Finally, a Samaritan spots the injured man and offers assistance,...