• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

  • Programs
    • Basic Needs
      • Emergency Financial Assistance
      • Free Store
      • Furniture & Appliance Store
      • COVID-19 FAQ’s
    • Economic Mobility
    • Civic Engagement
      • Financial Security CLT
      • Poverty Simulations
    • Partner Agencies
  • Impact
  • Volunteer
  • Blog
    • Advocacy News
    • Agency News
    • Customer Stories
    • Donor Stories
    • Volunteer Stories
  • About
    • About Us
    • Leadership Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Join Our Team
    • Financial Reports
    • For the Media
    • Contact Us
  • Ways to Give
    • Make a Financial Donation
    • Donate Clothing & Household Goods
    • Donate Furniture & Appliances
    • Amazon Wishlist
    • Donation Drives
    • Donate Stock
    • Donate a Car or Motor Vehicle
  • Donate Now

Dr. King’s Other Dream

As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this year, we examine his "other dream" through his writings on the elimination of poverty among all Americans.

January 17, 2020

As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. each year, the focus is rightfully on his fight for civil rights. Even in today’s divisive climate, his role in expanding racial justice and ending legal segregation cannot be overstated.

Still, much less attention is paid to Dr. King’s “other dream” — the elimination of poverty among all Americans. Even while celebrating the signing of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, his 1965 sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church addressed this message, saying “I still dream that one day all of God’s children will have food and clothing and material well-being for their bodies, culture and education for their minds, and freedom for their spirits.”

Economic justice was central to King’s political activism as he began to turn toward the system that continued to allow poverty at its roots. “The problem of racism, the problem of economic exploitation, and the problem of war are all tied together.  These are the triple evils that are all interrelated.”

While racial justice and economic justice are clearly intertwined in the United States, his later work applied many of the lessons of the civil rights movement to a new movement:  The Poor People’s Campaign.

In fact, he was in Memphis to publicly launch that very campaign when he was assassinated.  In the years leading up to that fateful day, King often referenced the fallacy of the American “bootstrap” myth, saying “it is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps.”

Where Do We Go From Here

In his 1967 book “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” he writes:

“Up to recently, we have proceeded from a premise that poverty is a consequence of multiple evils: lack of education restricting job opportunities; poor housing which stultified home life and suppressed initiative; fragile family relationships which distorted personality development. The logic of this approach suggested that each of these causes be attacked one by one. Hence a housing program to transform living conditions, improved educational facilities to furnish tools for better job opportunities, and family counseling to create better personal adjustments were designed. In combination, these measures were intended to remove the causes of poverty.“

He goes on to examine the failures of these efforts to create coordinated, systemic change. He laments the impact of “the whims of legislative bodies,” and concludes that “fragmentary and spasmodic reforms have failed to reach down to the profoundest needs of the poor.” King even proposes one possible solution to systemic poverty and its impacts: guaranteed income.

In a scathing criticism that echoes into the present day, he writes:

“The contemporary tendency in our society is to base our distribution on scarcity, which has vanished, and to compress our abundance into the overfed mouths of the middle and upper classes until they gag with superfluity. If democracy is to have breadth of meaning, it is necessary to adjust this inequity. It is not only moral, but it is also intelligent. We are wasting and degrading human life by clinging to archaic thinking.“

Call to Action Is Still Urgent

From our vantage point, sitting in the shadow of Charlotte’s gleaming business district in 2020, the effort to root out poverty and empower all our neighbors with economic opportunity is still urgent.

Every day, more than 150 families come through the doors of Crisis Assistance Ministry seeking help with the most basic of needs – shelter, utilities, clothing, and essential furniture. Statistics show that the average gross monthly income of families receiving financial assistance here is just $1,435. Compare that to the overall average for Mecklenburg County of $4,850. The struggle, as they say, is real.

But there is hope. Recent years have brought about landmark efforts like the Opportunity Task Force and the subsequent work of Leading on Opportunity.  As a community, we are examining long-established systems while seeking new innovative and coordinated practices. The recently launched Financial Security CLT builds on assets-based approaches to economic empowerment. Local government is openly committing to consider affordable housing and related issues of jobs and transportation.

Still, the problems identified by Dr. King remain. A renewed Poor People’s Campaign is even organizing a new “Mass Poor People’s Assembly & Moral March on Washington” this June.

Fifty-two years after his death, Dr. King’s proclamation to us still holds true:

“The curse of poverty has no justification in our age … The time has come for us to civilize ourselves by the total, direct and immediate abolition of poverty.”

Filed Under: Advocacy, Agency News Tagged With: Financial Security, FinancialSecurityCLT, Martin Luther King, MLK, Poor People's Campaign, Poverty

Primary Sidebar

Browse by Category

  • Advocacy
  • Agency News
  • Campaign
  • Customer Stories
  • Donor Stories
  • Special Interest
  • Volunteer Stories

Recent Posts

  • Catch Summer’s Cool(er) Vibes With a Playlist
  • 6 More Ways To Hold On To Summer
  • Good Summer Fun to Celebrate Saving Home
  • Army Vet Finds Welcome Relief from Summer Heat
  • Electrolux (and you) Help Neighbors Beat The Heat

Search

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Footer

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Preventing homelessness.
Preserving dignity.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Contact Us

  • (704) 371-3001
  • Send us a message
  • Main Office:
    500-A Spratt St.
    Charlotte, NC 28206
  • Tax ID
    EIN 56-1416719

Newsletter

Stay up-to-date by subscribing to our newsletter.

Join Our Mailing List

Search Our Site

Recent Photos

crisisassistmin

Open
The week goes by so quickly! But this multi-part idea can help you wind down while you play a part to #savehome for your neighbors who may be struggling.

1. Did the kids have a summer reading list? It's not too late to start your own family #book club. Visit the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library or @ImaginOn for ideas. 
2. Porch-sitting is a fine tradition. If you have a porch or deck, sprucing up the paint on your rocking chairs will make those spaces so much more inviting. Pro-tip: the "oops" paint section at Lowe's is for the budget-friendly  person who has a daring streak! (If you do use this section, tag us at #savehome and show us your art) 
3. Tomato vines can produce fruits for months. Slice them, add @Duke's, white bread, salt,  and pepper. This meal is a classic and it’s a money-saver. And go ahead and fry the green ones. Invite your neighbors over to enjoy this yummy summer dish. 
4. Take the books and sandwiches to the porch or deck (or your living room). Sit. Read. Relax. Ahhhh.
5. Remember to make a gift to #savehome by Aug. 31.

crisisassistmin

Open
Are you having fun yet? We hope you are! Here are more ideas for summer fun close to home. 
But you don't want to miss tomorrow's Supermoon on August 12. Or the Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower and Perseid Meteor Shower in full effect now through August 23. Find a dark (safe) space in your neighborhood, or take a quick drive to Kings Mountain State Park for prime viewing!
(Reminder: these adventures are budget-friendly, and some are free, so you’ll have a little left to help more families #savehome with a gift by August 31.)

crisisassistmin

Open
All kids should look as dapper as this little guy! The @CMS school year is right upon us, so as you're sorting through closets, keep an eye out for gently used #uniform pieces. Bring them to @CrisisAssistMin and we'll find new homes for them through our free-of-charge store.

crisisassistmin

Open
It's the little things! We're so grateful to #volunteers who sift through donations, inspect and hang them, sort them into sizes and genders and adult vs. children and so much more. Did you know that volunteers as young as 11 can help out onsite with adult supervision and 16-year-olds  can volunteer on their own?
Many volunteer roles are urgently needed to help provide for the basic needs of our neighbors while preserving dignity for struggling families. Check out the volunteer tab on our website to find your spot!

crisisassistmin

Open
While getting out of town is great, you shouldn’t knock the staycation. You can have good old summer fun right in your own backyard. Here are today's ideas for summer fun that keeps you close to, or at, home. (Bonus: these adventures won’t break the bank so you’ll have a little left to help more families #savehome with a gift by August 31.) 
1. Watch the fireflies.
2. Visit one of Charlotte-Mecklenburg's splash parks, or run through a sprinkler.
3. Clean your closet (we promise this is fun). Bring gently used uniforms to Crisis Assistance Ministry, and we will add them to our Free Store.

crisisassistmin

Open
With a few precious weeks of summer left, it’s time to get out there and HAVE FUN!

This week, we're sharing a whole list of inexpensive summer adventures close to home—some even in your own backyard. 
Bonus: they won’t break the bank, you’ll have a little left to #savehome for more families during #CLTSavesHome, our Non-Event fundraiser, by August 31.  Tag us @crisisassistmin or hashtag us at #CLTsavehome and let us know what you're doing! 

Want the whole list right now? ---> https://bit.ly/3JG5H1v

crisisassistmin

Open
With a few precious weeks of summer left, it’s time to get out there and celebrate summer with this list of inexpensive summer adventures close to home—some even in your own backyard. 
Bonus: since they won’t break the bank, you’ll have a little left to #savehome for more families during #CLTSavesHome, our Non-Event fundraiser, by August 31. (You can get to the list through our bio) Tag us @crisisassistmin or hashtag us at #CLTsavehome and let us know what you're doing!

crisisassistmin

Open
With a new school year quickly approaching, many families in @charmeckschools could use help getting their youngsters ready for the classroom with uniforms in the right size and  right color, especially after a summer of extra costs. There are several ways for you to help your neighbors and community members - with time to spare before school starts. Visit the link in the profile for ideas.

crisisassistmin

Open
You do not want to miss Saturday's benefit concert featuring @kennyroby of @6stringdrag, Randy Franklin & the Sardines, and more local musicians in a Tribute to the Art of Song benefiting families served here at @CrisisAssistMin! Grab your tickets now using the Quick Link in our Bio.

© 2022 · Crisis Assistance Ministry · Charlotte, NC · Privacy Policy · Site by Rabell Creative