While Martin Luther King, Jr. is usually depicted as a solitary figure, by the time of his tragic death he had effectively committed himself to expand the Civil Rights Movement far beyond a “small striking force” of activists. He saw a greater movement of people seeking change who were linked together in “long term relationships” and organized “solidly and simultaneously in thousands of places.
This was especially driven by Dr. King’s vision for economic equality, ultimately creating a world without racism, poverty, or war. He urged in “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” that we adopt a strategy long understood in movement circles as “solidarity”. He called for “workmanlike and experienced organizations,” backed by people linked together in a long-term collaboration, who protected each other even at the expense of themselves against White prejudice and retaliation. Our organizations need to be “filled with mutual trust, incorruptibility, and militancy” in order to survive.
It’s been 55 years since Dr. King wrote those words and despite gains in educational attainment and income, Black Americans have not been able to close the wealth gap. With over $1 trillion in spending power, our communities are still locked out of high-paying jobs and capital to start businesses. Reports in recent years have revealed that Black American wealth will be zero by 2053. To avoid becoming a complete underclass in America, Black communities will require stronger organization for economic cooperation.
In his final speech in Memphis, he preached about reaching a mountaintop from where he could see a promised land where Black people were finally free from racism and poverty. Beneath all the proverbs and anecdotes, he offered a practical roadmap to economic justice for Black America. “We’ve got to strengthen Black institutions,” Dr. King said. “I call upon you to take your money out of the banks downtown and deposit your money in Tri-State Bank (a Black-owned bank)—we want a bank-in movement in Memphis.”
To meet the moment today, we’ll need to build a culture of cooperation in our communities, where we build spaces in which people can maintain their empathy and develop trust and reliance, allowing for growth in solidarity in facing challenges in our local communities. Economic independence cannot just be achieved individually but will only be reached together, with a commitment to solidarity in the face of today’s pandemic.
In Southwest Georiga, we are responding to Dr. King’s call to action for solidarity for economic cooperation. That’s why we built Black SOWEGA. Our platform exists to showcase local Black-owned establishments, tourism, events, and employment opportunities. This is just one resource the Southwest Georgia Black Chamber of Commerce is making available. The chamber is committed to fostering the growth, creation, and development of successful business enterprises owned, operated, and managed by African Americans and people of African descent in Southwest Georgia. We don’t stand alone. Our chamber is part of a national network of Black chambers across the country, where we are all aligned with Dr. King’s vision for solidarity, simultaneously in thousands of places.