Okay, so we're going deep today. Yeah, deep into some of Martin Luther King Jr.'s ideas. Yeah
Specifically on like economic empowerment. All right
So it's 1968. Okay. We're in Memphis and the Sanitation Workers strike is in full swing
And Dr. King is right there with him and what's so interesting about this is that he's combining his like
Real commitment to non-violence. Yeah with this push for economic action. He's pushing for this strategic
targeted action right that hits people that hits where it hurts in the wallet
Yeah, the pocketbook right and he gets very specific. Yeah about what he wants people to do right?
He calls for a boycott. Yeah of some really big companies huge companies like coca-cola
Silta's milk Wonder Bread Hearts Bread. Yeah, these weren't just random choices. No away, you know, you think about it
Why those these companies were probably
Major employers in Memphis at the time, right? They held a lot of economic sway in the city
So he was trying to disrupt the whole system
He's aiming to disrupt the city's entire economic engine to get them to listen to and force those in power
Yes to listen to the demand of workers of these striking workers right?
It's so interesting how he understood that economic power could be just as effective as protest and marching
Yeah, right. It's a different kind of leverage, but he doesn't stop there. No, he also wants black communities to move their money
Yeah to institutions like trestate bank and black owned insurance companies. That's right. So is this all part of his idea of
This is what you call economic withdrawal, right? I can explain that a bit more. Yeah, so it's about
Building economic power from within right? Yeah by shifting their money right to these black owned businesses
Yeah, black institutions he envisioned creating a whole parallel economy
Wow that could actually support and empower black communities. So it lessens their dependence on the very systems that are perpetuating inequality
It's interesting because we see that happening now. Yeah, like the whole by black movement
Absolutely is very much in line with that vision. It's a direct line from that from what dr. King was talking about then
So he was really laying the groundwork. He was laying the groundwork for sustained action, right?
Because you know boycotts powerful as they are are temporary. Yeah, but building strong independent economic institutions
That's the key the long-term change long-term empowerment and
You know that makes it so tragic. Yeah that he was assassinated the very next day
It's just one day after calling for this boycott, right?
It makes you wonder what would have happened
What could have been achieved if he had lived if he had lived to see this through it's a question that you know
We'll never know the answer
But we can see how his thinking is connected to so many of the movements that are happening today that are happening today
And that's what makes this deep dive so
Interesting. Yeah, it's not just history. It's like it's a roadmap to understanding how
Economic power can be used for social change to kind of wrap things up. Yeah, dr. King's approach to economic empowerment
Was really multifaceted. Absolutely
He wanted to disrupt the status quo with the boycott with the boycott. Yeah, but he also wanted to create something new build up
Black economic institutions right from the ground up and that's the challenge that he leaves for us for all of us
How can we how can we apply?
His vision of economic empowerment to the problems we face today. It's a big question, right? Yeah
What systems need to be challenged right what structures need to be built? Yeah, that's something worth thinking about definitely worth pondering
All right. Thanks for listening everybody. Thanks for joining us. This has been a fascinating deep dive. It really has until next time
See then