The third Monday of January is a federal holiday in the USA, commemorating the life and accomplishments of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Some Canadian municipalities recognize it too.
When King came to Windsor, Ontario to give the Emancipation Day keynote speech in 1956, Canada was in a different place from the U.S. regarding civil rights struggle. Yet, the struggles were and are connected. Activists from both countries would travel to Windsor to celebrate Emancipation Day on August 1, and Dr. King addressed them at a pivotal time, during the Montgomery Bus Boycott campaign.
King’s successful strategy for social change was based on understanding the connections between community groups, faith groups, and trade unions, and alliances of people regardless of racialization, creed, or international borders.
Dr. King returned to Canada to deliver the 1967 Massey lecture in Toronto. You can hear one of a five-part series here for the history lesson and for inspiration. Dr. King’s analysis and strategy can inspire us all to set ambitious goals for social change, and to be pragmatic about how to achieve them.