Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,'s Last Speech

Tonight, on the American holiday dedicated to his memory, I'm watching a documentary about King and his life's work.

There has been no leader who has emerged in this society since King was assassinated in Memphis in 1968 with anywhere near his moral authority or rhetorical skill. The clip above is of one of my favorites among his speeches, with his awful premonition of impending death this last night of his life.

But my personal favorite among the many documentaries about King is "From Montgomery to Memphis," which contains much uncut footage of his major speeches.

Every year, on this day, I drop whatever else I may be doing to celebrate King's memory in my own private way. That is to review these speeches, studying his words and their meaning, and searching for new ways to contribute in the year ahead.

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