Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr’s dreams did not die with him. His death led to the birth of entities that would go on to work for the same values and ideas that the civil liberties leader fought for. As the world marks the celebration of MLK, his death on April 4, 1968, was a tragic blow to the civil rights movement in the United States.
Leading Non-Profits with Ties to MLK
A champion of racial equality, King laboured for an equal and egalitarian society where economic and racial status did not serve as tools for the repression of individuals. An X post by the United Nations today encouraged people to fight racism on Martin Luther King Jr’s Day and every other day. In the same vein, several organisations have pushed the values of Martin Luther King Jr.
Here are some non-profit organisations linked to Martin Luther King Jr.
1. The King Center
Founded by Coretta Scott King in 1968, the Martin Luther King Jr Center for Nonviolent Social Change is a non-profit organisation in Atlanta, Georgia, whose mission is to empower people to create a just, humane, equitable, and peaceful world by applying Dr King’s nonviolent philosophy and methodology.
The most evident achievement of the Center is leading the effort to ensure that MLK’s birthday was recognised as a federal holiday in the United States. The King Center has also carried out non-violence training that teaches non-violence as a tool for protest and conflict resolution, with its initiatives reaching over 500,000 people globally.
Official Website: https://thekingcenter.org/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekingcenter/
2. The Memorial Foundation
The Memorial Foundation was initially founded in 2011 to maintain the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial in Washington DC. The Foundation now also runs youth and leadership programmes for individuals and young people passionate about social change.
Since its establishment over a decade ago, The Memorial Foundation has partnered with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to reach over 3,000 individuals.
Official Website: https://www.thememorialfoundation.org/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thememorialfoundation/
3. Poor People’s Campaign
The Poor People’s Campaign stemmed from an effort by MLK in conjunction with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to demand economic justice for poor people living in the United States.
It was Martin Luther King Jr’s last project. Today, the Poor People’s Campaign has been revived as a non-profit organisation to push policy and an agenda that responds to the urgent needs of the poor and underserved people across the United States.
Official Website: https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poorpeoplescampaign/?hl=en
4. Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr Association for Nonviolence, Inc.
The Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr Association for Nonviolence, Inc. was founded in 1983 by a group of local leaders in Philadelphia. Its focus is on transforming MLK’s philosophy of non-violence into community action.
The association majorly facilitates youth-centred empowerment initiatives. It has a “share-food” programme that distributes food to families in need and also runs Christmas events with up to 12,000 children being recipients of gift items such as food, toys, and clothing.
Official Website: https://www.philadelphiamlk.org
5. The Dr Martin Luther King, Jr Task Force
The Dr Martin Luther King Jr Task Force was established in Michigan in 1986 with the mission to promote social justice, nonviolence, and equality for all. The task force came into prominence after its creation of the MLK Peace Walk and has continued the activity ever since. The task force also runs an initiative that trains people about the principles of non-violence and facilitates awards for young people who demonstrate commendable leadership and community service.
Official Website: https://www.mlktaskforcemi.org
While MLK has been dead for 58 years, his ideals, principles, and struggles still live on. These organisations, through their efforts, have contributed a great deal to ensuring that King’s dream of racial and economic equality moves much closer to the reality of today’s world. These organisations, in MLK’s words, have become stones of hope in a mountain of despair.
