
By Danny R. Johnson – Political News Editor
WASHINGTON, DC – The inauguration of the forty-seventh president, Donald Trump, coinciding with Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 20th, presents an opportunity to reflect on the legacies of these two prominent figures.
This juxtaposition highlights a stark contrast: on the one hand, we have President Trump, who, despite facing legal challenges and being convicted of thirty-four felonies, has attained the highest political office in the United States. On the other hand, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a pivotal civil rights leader renowned for his nonviolent resistance to racial segregation and discrimination, was arrested nearly thirty times and often labeled as a “troublemaker.”
Dr. King’s speeches, particularly those that conservatives may overlook, underscore the ongoing struggles against racial injustice. He poignantly noted that a century after emancipation, “the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination” and that many African Americans lived “on a lonely island of poverty amid a vast ocean of material prosperity.” Dr. King advocated for continuous progress against racism, urging citizens not to become complacent. “This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism,” he stated emphatically.
Contrary to claims made by some political figures, blocking critical race theory does not align with Dr. King’s legacy. His work was grounded in recognizing and addressing racial injustices, emphasizing the urgent need to mitigate harm and advance equality.
Thomas Miranda, a former superintendent at Trump-owned properties, testified that they were instructed to write “C” for “colored” on any application submitted by a Black person. This signal helped to distinguish between applicants, allowing the company to enforce a policy of racial discrimination. When the dust of the legal battle settled, Trump signed a consent decree that required no admission of guilt. However, there were stipulations such as ensuring “the desegregation of Trump properties.” Had they never been segregated, such a declaration wouldn’t be necessary. King’s advocacy, on the other hand, contributed to the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which prohibited discrimination in the sale or rental of housing based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin, or family status. While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought to end racial discrimination in housing throughout his career, Donald Trump was repeatedly accused of perpetuating it.
Another case that illustrates the stark difference between these figures is Trump’s attack on the Central Park Five, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise. In 1990, Trump took out a full-page ad advocating for the State of New York to bring back the death penalty to use against five teenagers in three newspapers, wrongfully accused of raping a White woman in central park. Even after the courts exonerated them of this crime, he refused to apologize. In the advertisement, he said society should “unshackle them from the constant chant of police brutality.” However, given that these teenagers were innocent, violence against them only added to the injustice of the affair. For many, Trump’s effort to punish innocent Black teenagers was reminiscent of America’s most shameful pastime, racial terror lynchings. And when we consider King’s speech, in which he argued that “We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality,” it’s clear just how bizarre their juxtaposition is.
America celebrating the inauguration of Donald Trump on the same day reserved to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. puts the two-faced nature of the nation on display. Are we a nation where it’s socially acceptable to discriminate against, stereotype, and even target Black people, or one where all citizens are entitled to equal rights and opportunities? That decision remains in the hands of citizens, who, through their choices at the ballot box and in everyday life, will determine what kind of nation this will be. And yet, it’s worth considering the painful irony of this day from the perspective of Black Americans. That the same nation celebrating racial progress obtained through advocacy is, on the same day, elevating someone who’s come to represent a return to the past. Who once referred to Black Lives Matter protesters as “terrorists.”
Some Americans will celebrate a civil rights leader, and others will celebrate a man who opposes racial progress on January 20th. It’s hard to imagine that the same group of people can genuinely honor both men, as the legacy of King openly contradicts the policies and reputation of Donald Trump. Conservatives will likely continue the tradition of cherry-picking text to sway public opinion, especially since Republicans will find themselves in the political limelight during Trump’s inauguration. There may even be a concerted effort to twist his words to lend moral legitimacy to the incoming administration. However, we must remember that he was very critical of America’s racism and injustices against people experiencing poverty. And believed that awareness was a social responsibility. As King once said, “One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change.”