Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom

DC Public Library

Many people are familiar with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. But did you know that was not his first major address in the nation’s capital? <BR><BR>On May 17, 1957, the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Brown vs. Board decision that ruled public school segregation unconstitutional, King’s “Give Us the Ballot” speech at the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom was a call for the public to rally the federal government in support of civil rights. It was also a significant moment for the young pastor as a rising leader in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement.<BR><BR>Join Derek Gray, DC Public Library Archivist and Historian, for a lecture on this event that is too often overlooked as a prelude to the struggle for Black freedom, both in Washington and nationally. Registration is encouraged, but not required.

Cleveland Park Public Library

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