Mahalia Jackson mesmerized the audience with her iconic performance. She was using her voice in the best way possible – to uplift her people and push for liberation. But would her friend Martin Luther King, Jr. do the same?
As she listened intently from the front row, Jackson realized MLK was concluding his remarks but had forgotten the most important part. So she yelled, “Tell them about the dream, Martin! Tell them about the dream!” And then it all changed.
Her encouragement lit a passionate fire under MLK! The rest of his famous “I Have A Dream” speech was unscripted and straight from the heart. And he didn’t let up.
For six whole minutes, King spoke his truth to the crowd with a fiery passion. His speech ignited the audience and Black people across the nation. What if Mahalia hadn’t spoken up?
Without her, King’s speech could have faded into the catacombs of history. We all have a role in Black liberation – even if we’re on the “sidelines,” we can be the inspiration for a monumental event!