The wonderful thing about inspiration is how it begets more inspiration. Take any inspired moment and you may be able to trace it backward and extrapolate it forward through generations. And though it may be possible to retrospectively identify the individuals, ideas, and decisions that cumulatively inspire a given action, its influence may ripple outward in unexpected and seemingly unrelated ways.
Obviously, the inspiration for this project is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr -- but who inspired him? Born in <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />Atlanta, Georgia in 1929, he knew first-hand the injustices of segregation and oppression of racism. And, although we now know the legacy of the civil rights movement that he led, it isn’t difficult to imagine a young man turning down a different road. Fortunately, King took inspiration from at least two peaceful men-- a carpenter and a lawyer.
As a son of a Baptist minister, King grew up with a Bible in his hand. And though he believed in the power of forgiveness exemplified by “turning the other cheek,” he struggled with its application as a means of social change. That is, until he was introduced to the teachings of Mohandas Gandhi. Gandhi’s movement of nonviolent civil disobedience was a “guiding light” from the early days of the Montgomery bus boycott, which set the tone for the years ahead.
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In February of 1959, Dr. King traveled to India, where he deepened his convictions about the power of nonviolent resistance. In memory of that trip and in tribute to Dr. King, his son (Martin Luther King, III) has recently led a delegation back to India. Those in attendance included not only political figures and dignitaries, but also the legendary jazz musician and advocate for social change, Herbie Hancock. So, the inspiration continues.
Music… inspired by a man… inspired by love. That is the basis of Dream On!
Who among us has not been inspired? And how might our own inspirations ripple out into the future?
DREAM ON!
