Civil Rights Activist Dorothy Height (1912 - 2010) (Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images/Getty)
Several civil rights leaders have died in the past months—just yesterday that number grew further with the death of Dorothy Height. As they pass on, our chances to learn first hand about their generation and their movement are fewer and fewer. Today we speak with civil rights activists Charles Evers and Dr. Roscoe Brown, about the legacy of civil rights leaders, and the lessons they hope to give to a younger generation of leaders who experience questions about civil rights in similar and markedly different ways. Our question to listeners: Do younger people take civil rights for granted?
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The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International, in collaboration with The BBC World Service, New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
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Comments [4]
As a resident of Detroit, I live in a segregated city. We are being forced to fight for basic city services and to keep corporate foundations from bypassing our local government. We are currently fighting for our school board to be restored, again. The Governor appointed an emergency financial manager that is dismantling our schools and we want our elected school board restored. The media portrays Detroit negatively and silences our voices.
The civil rights movement is today.
As a resident of Detroit, I live in a segregated city. We are being forced to fight for basic city services and to keep corporate foundations from bypassing our local government. We are currently fighting for our school board to be restored, again. The Governor appointed an emergency financial manager that is dismantling our schools and we want our elected school board restored. The media portrays Detroit negatively and silences our voices.
The civil rights movement is today.
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: Has there ever been a generation that didn't answer yes? It seems to be the recurrent inter-generational rant. "You kids don't know how easy you have it" or "Back in my day..." :) I think it's an inherent part of a progressive society that we grow accustomed to the amenities and liberties that we have. It's also crucial to make an effort to know these struggles and revere their revolutionaries to avoid falling back into the same cycle and that's the part society has a hard time with...
I would answer your question, but as a Gay American, I still do not have any civil rights. So I can not take them for granted. Because I do not have the 'luxury' of being treated as a human being and a full citizen of the country my tax dollars help to support.
If I ever DO have my civil rights restored; the civil rights that are being Unconstitutionally withheld from Gay Americans by the very heterosexuals that CREATED all the Gay Americans, I will come back and post a follow up to this question.
I've been waiting for 41 years, so I won't hold my breath. I will simply hope that the heterosexuals responsible for the creation of every single gay person on the planet will seek forgiveness from God and Gays for their absolutely vile treatment OF THEIR VERY OWN OFFSPRING.
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