NBC NEWS KEY CORRESPONDENT, TOM
BROKAW, SHOWS US HOW FIVE
BROKAW, SHOWS US HOW FIVE
DECADES LATER, DR. KINGS
DECADES LATER, DR. KINGS
MESSAGE IS AS IMPORTANT AS EVER.
MESSAGE IS AS IMPORTANT AS EVER.
>> Reporter: DR. MARTIN LUTHER
>> Reporter: DR. MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. USED THE POWER OF HIS
KING JR. USED THE POWER OF HIS
VOICE AS A NONVIOLENT WEAPON IN
VOICE AS A NONVIOLENT WEAPON IN
A GREAT MORAL CAUSE.
A GREAT MORAL CAUSE.
KING WAS RAISED IN ATLANTAS
SEGREGATED BLACK MIDDLE CLASS.
SEGREGATED BLACK MIDDLE CLASS.
HE WAS A P.K., A PREACHERS KID,
HE WAS A P.K., A PREACHERS KID,
VERY SMART.
VERNON JORDAN, THE PROMINENT
VERNON JORDAN, THE PROMINENT
WASHINGTON AND WALL STREET
WASHINGTON AND WALL STREET
LAWYER GREW UP IN THE SAME
LAWYER GREW UP IN THE SAME
NEIGHBORHOOD.
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING
>> THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING
ABOUT HIM THAT MADE US KNOW THAT
HE WAS HEADED TO GREAT PLACES.AT
HE WAS HEADED TO GREAT PLACES.
>> Reporter: AFTER COLLEGE, KING
>> Reporter: AFTER COLLEGE, KING
JOINED HIS FATHER AT EBENEZER
JOINED HIS FATHER AT EBENEZER
BAPTIST CHURCH.
I CAME HERE TO EBENEZER BAPTIST
I CAME HERE TO EBENEZER BAPTIST
TO HEAR DR. KING PREACH ONE
TO HEAR DR. KING PREACH ONE
SUNDAY MORNING.
SUNDAY MORNING.
AS HE BEGAN TO SOAR, HIS FATHER
AS HE BEGAN TO SOAR, HIS FATHER
LEANED FORWARD AND SAID, MAKE IT
LEANED FORWARD AND SAID, MAKE IT
PLAIN, SON.
PLAIN, SON.
MAKE IT PLAIN.
THE REVEREND RAFAEL WARNOC IS
THE REVEREND RAFAEL WARNOC IS
KINGS SUCCESSOR IN THE PULPIT
KINGS SUCCESSOR IN THE PULPIT
HERE.
HERE.
WHEN HE LEFT FOR MONTGOMERY,
WHEN HE LEFT FOR MONTGOMERY,
ALABAMA, HE WAS THE RIGHT MAN,
ALABAMA, HE WAS THE RIGHT MAN,
IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT
TIME.E RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT
TIME.
ROSA PARKS REFUSED TO GIVE UP
HER BUS SEAT TO A WHITE MAN AND
HER BUS SEAT TO A WHITE MAN AND
A REVOLUTION BEGAN.
A REVOLUTION BEGAN.
KING WAS JUST 26 YEARS OLD, BUT
KING WAS JUST 26 YEARS OLD, BUT
QUICKLY BECAME THE DYNAMIC
QUICKLY BECAME THE DYNAMIC
LEADER OF THE CITY BUS BOYCOTT.
LEADER OF THE CITY BUS BOYCOTT.
>> IF THERES VIOLENCE, IT MUST
>> IF THERES VIOLENCE, IT MUST
NOT COME FROM NEGRO PEOPLE.
NOT COME FROM NEGRO PEOPLE.
>> Reporter: AND WHEN THE
>> Reporter: AND WHEN THE
SUPREME COURT RULED THE
SUPREME COURT RULED THE
MONTGOMERY SEGREGATION WAS
MONTGOMERY SEGREGATION WAS
ILLEGAL, KING BECAME A NATIONAL
ILLEGAL, KING BECAME A NATIONAL
FIGURE BEFORE HE WAS 30.
FIGURE BEFORE HE WAS 30.
HE FORMED THE STUDENT NONVIOLENT
HE FORMED THE STUDENT NONVIOLENT
COORDINATING COMMITTEE AND TOOK
COORDINATING COMMITTEE AND TOOK
HIS CRUSADE ACROSS THE SOUTH.
HIS CRUSADE ACROSS THE SOUTH.
>> THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO
>> THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO
DO RIGHT.
DO RIGHT.
>> Reporter: KING AND HIS
>> Reporter: KING AND HIS
FOLLOWERS STAYED TRUE TO
FOLLOWERS STAYED TRUE TO
NONVIOLENCE, EVEN AS THEY WERE
NONVIOLENCE, EVEN AS THEY WERE
BEATEN, ARRESTED AND JAILED, AND
BEATEN, ARRESTED AND JAILED, AND
THEY MADE SURE THE NETWORK NEWS
THEY MADE SURE THE NETWORK NEWS
CAMERAS RECORDED IT ALL, LIFTING
CAMERAS RECORDED IT ALL, LIFTING
THE MOVEMENT OUT OF THE SOUTH,
THE MOVEMENT OUT OF THE SOUTH,
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> YOURE UNDER ARREST.
>> YOURE UNDER ARREST.
>> Reporter: KING WAS JAILED
>> Reporter: KING WAS JAILED
MORE THAN 20 TIMES.
MORE THAN 20 TIMES.
WHEN WHITE SOUTHERN PASTORS
WHEN WHITE SOUTHERN PASTORS
SURGED HIM TO SLOW DOWN, KING
SURGED HIM TO SLOW DOWN, KING
WROTE FROM HIS BIRMINGHAM JAIL
WROTE FROM HIS BIRMINGHAM JAIL
CELL, WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR
CELL, WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR
340 YEARS FOR OUR CONSTITUTIONAL
340 YEARS FOR OUR CONSTITUTIONAL
AND GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS.
AND GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS.
THIS WAS A CRUSADE LARGER THAN
THIS WAS A CRUSADE LARGER THAN
ONE MAN.
ONE MAN.
BUT THAT MAN GAVE US A VOICE
BUT THAT MAN GAVE US A VOICE
THAT LIVES ON.
THAT LIVES ON.
WASHINGTON 1963.
WASHINGTON 1963.
>> I HAVE A DREAM TODAY.
>> I HAVE A DREAM TODAY.
>> Reporter: BY MIDSUMMER 1964,
>> Reporter: BY MIDSUMMER 1964,
A HISTORIC STEP.
A HISTORIC STEP.
PRESIDENT JOHNSON SIGNED A NEW
PRESIDENT JOHNSON SIGNED A NEW
FEDERAL LAW OUTLAWING RACIAL
FEDERAL LAW OUTLAWING RACIAL
DISCRIMINATION.
DISCRIMINATION.
>> WE SHALL OVERCOME.
>> Reporter: BUT THE LAW COULD
>> Reporter: BUT THE LAW COULD
NOT END RACIAL HATRED.
NOT END RACIAL HATRED.
WHEN KING TOOK HIS MOVEMENT
WHEN KING TOOK HIS MOVEMENT
NORTH, THE RECEPTION IN SO MANY
NORTH, THE RECEPTION IN SO MANY
CITIES WAS VICIOUS.
CITIES WAS VICIOUS.
AND A NEW GENERATION OF YOUNG
AND A NEW GENERATION OF YOUNG
BLACK LEADERS REJECTED
BLACK LEADERS REJECTED
NONVIOLENCE.
NONVIOLENCE.
>> WE WANT BLACK POWER.
>> WE WANT BLACK POWER.
WE WANT BLACK POWER.
>> I THINK MY GENERATION HAVING
>> I THINK MY GENERATION HAVING
WATCHED YOUR GENERATION MOVE
WATCHED YOUR GENERATION MOVE
THINGS AND CHANGE LIVES, WE
THINGS AND CHANGE LIVES, WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THE ISSUE IS SO
UNDERSTAND THAT THE ISSUE IS SO
MUCH DEEPER THAN JUST POLICY,
MUCH DEEPER THAN JUST POLICY,
THAT ITS CHANGING HEARTS AND
THAT ITS CHANGING HEARTS AND
MINDS.
MINDS.
>> Reporter: KING SHARED WITH
>> Reporter: KING SHARED WITH
SANDRA VAN OAKER IN MAY, 1957,
SANDRA VAN OAKER IN MAY, 1957,
HIS DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT.
HIS DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT.
>> ITS EASIER TO INTEGRATE A
>> ITS EASIER TO INTEGRATE A
BUS THAN IT IS TO MAKE GENUINE
BUS THAN IT IS TO MAKE GENUINE
INTEGRATION A REALITY.
INTEGRATION A REALITY.
BUT I MUST CONFESS THAT THAT
BUT I MUST CONFESS THAT THAT
DREEL
DREEL
DREAM THAT I HAD, HAS TURNED
DREAM THAT I HAD, HAS TURNED
INTO A NIGHTMARE.
INTO A NIGHTMARE.
>> Reporter: BY 1968, KING WAS
>> Reporter: BY 1968, KING WAS
STRUGGLING TO KEEP THE MOVEMENT
STRUGGLING TO KEEP THE MOVEMENT
ALIVE.
ALIVE.
HE WENT TO MEMPHIS TO SUPPORT A
STRIKE BY BLACK SANITATIONORT A
STRIKE BY BLACK SANITATION
WORKERS.
WORKERS.
HIS LAST SPEECH, THE MOUNTAIN
HIS LAST SPEECH, THE MOUNTAIN
MOUNTAINTOP.
MOUNTAINTOP.
>> I MAY NOT GET THERE WITH YOU.
>> I MAY NOT GET THERE WITH YOU.
>> Reporter: THE NEXT DAY, KING
>> Reporter: THE NEXT DAY, KING
WAS MURDERED BY A WHITE EX-CON.
WAS MURDERED BY A WHITE EX-CON.
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BLACK
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BLACK
NEIGHBORHOODS EXPLODED IN RAGE.
BUT IN ATLANTA, HIS FUNERAL WAS
BUT IN ATLANTA, HIS FUNERAL WAS
A SOLEMN, BITTERSWEET FAREWELL,
A SOLEMN, BITTERSWEET FAREWELL,
TO A MAN WHO GOT TO THE
TO A MAN WHO GOT TO THE
MOUNTAINTOP AND BECAME A MARTYR,
MOUNTAINTOP AND BECAME A MARTYR,
AN ICON, THE IMMORTAL AMERICAN.
