Nearly 50 years ago, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. “weighed upon the conscience of the world.” That was the headline on the cover of the April 12, 1968, issue of The New World. The issue included in-depth accounts of the variety of responses seen throughout the week following the civil-rights activist’s death. King’s death itself was not reported as news. The press cycle landed an issue on doorsteps on April 5, the day after King was assassinated in Memphis by James Earl Ray. The New World stories from that spring describe the frustration of a country torn apart. From a multitude of perspectives, a collective message was delivered: King was a martyr who devoted his existence to paving a pathway on which love, acceptance and understanding could travel indefinitely. That was the message that Pope Paul VI delivered from the Vatican on Palm Sunday following King’s death. He appealed to God “that the sacrifice of Martin Luther King may not remain in vain; but that through it the souls of all may be more widely open to forgiveness and reconciliation.” He further prayed that “We shall associate this memory with the tragic story of the passion of Christ.” The New World also covered the violence that erupted in Chicago, as some individuals succumbed to the anger they felt on King’s murder and sought revenge in the form of destruction. Rioting and looting ensued in the wake of tragedy. Though violence was answered with more violence, acts of forgiveness and love prevailed in the form of voluntary relief services. St. Catherine of Siena Parish and the Washington Boulevard Methodist Church were close to much of the destruction following King’s death. Both churches accepted food and clothing and distributed them to those affected by the riots. Many Chicago families also offered up their homes to people displaced by arson.
Gomez: Imitate Rev. King’s ‘example, prophetic witness’ in work for justice The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urged all people of goodwill to commemorate the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the Jan. 17 holiday named for him by remembering “not only the justice he pursued, but how he pursued it.”
Pope Francis: King’s ‘vision of harmony, equality for all’ remains timely With “social injustice, division and conflict” threatening the common good, people need to rediscover and recommit to the vision of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to work nonviolently for harmony and equality for all, Pope Francis said.
Faith communities lead peaceful protest against racism In the spirit of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., pastors from the city’s North Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side marched peacefully through their community on June 12, calling for racial justice and unity. Hundreds of people joined them in the protest, which ended at the site where King once lived.