This morning as we awaken to the day that is a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his accomplishments, I thought that I would share the version of Dr. King that I love the most. 1/

As I believe that people must evolve, my favorite version of him is not the “I Have A Dream” King. Rather, the version of Dr. King that deeply resonates with me is the man who launched the Poor Peoples Campaign. 2/

At that stage of King’s life, as he told David Halberstam: “For years I labored w/ the idea of reforming the existing institutions of the South, a little change here, a little change there. 3/

Now I feel quite differently. I think you’ve got to have a reconstruction of the entire society, a revolution of values.” This changing of his narrative to identify with and fight for the poor, along with the forceful denunciation of the Vietnam War, cost King dearly.

It cost him much of his popularity, many old friends, resources, and ultimately, his life. It turns out that advocating for the massive redistribution of resources to make society more equitable and just was too much for even Dr. King’s allies and fans to bear. 5/

So, on the day where honoring Dr. King has been legislated, I encourage you to spend a few minutes with Google and expand your understanding of Dr. King beyond the well-worn speeches and sanitized version of this great man. If King could evolve, so can our appreciation of him. 6/

To those of you who have already done this, my request of you is different - please teach others what you already know about this remarkable man. Given where we are today, I would argue that the lessons from the latter part of King’s life are the most important ones to learn.