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Martin Luther King Jr: Keep The Dream Alive

Circle Up Now — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:25:02 +0000

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR:
KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE — TOM LEE PARK
produced by CIRCLE UP NOW
hosted by AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA
in partnership with AFSCME LOCAL 1733, MEMPHIS NAACP, NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE and SOUTHWEST TENNEESSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
EVENT DATE: NOVEMBER 2, 2008

DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT?

(Memphis, Tenn.) — To recognize Memphis’ historic role in the movement for economic and social justice and to honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s leadership on this issue during the 1968 sanitation workers’ strike, a new partnership between labor, civil and human rights groups created a human aerial art image — the first of its kind in Memphis — depicting Dr. King’s likeness along with the words "Keep the Dream Alive" on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 2, at Tom Lee Park on the Mississippi riverfront.

Participants formed a human aerial image of Dr. King and the words, "Keep the Dream Alive". Circle Up Now’s Co-Founder, John Quigley collaborated with local artist Siphne Sylve of Memphis College of Art, who originated the sketch of Dr. King.

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click image to enlarge

On July 15, 2008, Circle Up Now gathered thousands of students in Johannesburg, South Africa, to create an image of Nelson Mandela to honor his 90th birthday with the message of "Freedom from Hunger" (pictured on left).

“Now, it’s time for America to honor our human rights hero, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in this way,” said Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA.

“At a time when millions of people around the world are staggering under the recent economic blows, it is appropriate for us to renew our commitment to the vision that Dr. King showed 40 years ago when he came to support economic justice and the striking sanitation workers in Memphis. Dr. King’s message rings louder today than ever. He could not fulfill the promise of economic justice but we can. We are proud to stand with labor and other organizations who seek to work to accomplish Dr. King’s vision.”

“Dr. King’s message rings louder today than ever,” Cox added. “He could not fulfill the promise of economic justice, but we can. Amnesty International is proud to stand with labor and other human and civil rights organizations who seek to work to accomplish Dr. King’s vision.”

“Dr. King was committed to a fair and just society. His vision gives us the strength to recommit ourselves to a new period of economic justice,” said Bruce Jett, director of AFSME local 1733.

This gathering was part of three days of activities in Memphis for Amnesty International’s Southern Regional Conference, bringing hundreds of student and community human rights activists together from throughout the South.

This year, as the human rights movement marks the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Amnesty International is renewing its commitment to the economic, social and health rights that Dr. King championed in his later years. Among the issues addressed at the regional conference in Memphis were housing rights for individuals displaced by hurricane Katrina as well as the living wage campaign that was fought in Memphis.

At the event, a brief ceremony honored local civil and economic rights champions in the spirit of Tom Lee, an African American known as Memphis’ greatest hero, for his courage in rescuing 32 people from the Mississippi river in 1925 when the steamer they were on sank. Members of Lee’s family and the U.S. Coast Guard have been invited to participate.

Speakers included Bruce Jett, director of AFSCME local 1733; Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA, and Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn. Local choirs, dance groups and drummers performed and passages from Dr. King’s speeches were read by young people.

Tom Lee Memorial Sculpture
in Tom Lee Park, Memphis, TN

The Tom Lee Recognition honorees included:

Ernest C. Withers
Renowned photojournalist whose photographs chronicled the civil rights struggle in Memphis.

He captured Dr. King on film during the strike and his photos of violence against the sanitation workers are iconic.

Withers was one of the first nine African Americans to serve as a police officer in Shelby County.

Read more about Ernest Withers
View slideshow of Withers’ work


Sanitation workers assemble in front of Clayborn Temple for a solidarity march.


Dr. King resting in the Lorraine Motel following the 1966 ‘March Against Fear’, in Memphis. Less than two years after this photo was taken, Dr. King was assassinated outside of his room on the balcony of this motel.	Crowd outside Lorraine Motel after the assassination of Dr King on April 8, 1968.

John and Viola McFerren lead protesters to Fayette County Courthouse in 1965.

John and Viola McFerren
led the drive to register African Americans to vote in Fayette County making enormous personal sacrifice and enduring financial and physical hardships to advance progress.

The couple organized Fayette County’s ‘Freedom Village’, a tent city of hundreds of African American tenant farmers who had been evicted by white farm owners when they registered to vote.

John McFerren was a founder of the Fayette County Civic and Welfare League, which sued in federal court to allow African Americans to cast ballots.

Read more about John & Viola McFerren.

Nat D. Williams
The first African American radio personality for Memphis’ ground-breaking radio station WDIA, one of the first radio stations in the United States to develop programming by black people for a black audience. His popular, long-running show led the way for WDIA to become “the Good Will Station,” becoming directly involved in illuminating and addressing community needs.

As a teacher, he once had more African American former students in public office than any other educator in the South.

Read more about Nat D. Williams.

Honorable H. T. Lockard
Retired judge from Shelby County Criminal Court, who challenged segregation and social injustice including his time as leader of the NAACP during the early 1950s, a time when standing up for civil rights was dangerous.

He made lasting contributions to civil rights in Memphis, providing what the current chapter president termed "courageous leadership and a steadying hand in a tumultuous time."

Joseph Crittenden
Helped to lead the 1968 sanitation workers’ strike and engaged the Greater Southside Baptist Church in supporting the workers.

Crittendon, who will celebrate his 90th birthday on Nov. 15, worked closely with Dr. King when he came to Memphis to support the strike.

William Lucy
International Secretary Treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Based in Washington, D.C., William Lucy came to Memphis in 1968 to help lead the sanitation workers’s strike.

Nelson Mandela: Freedom From Hunger

Circle Up Now — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:14:53 +0000

NELSON MANDELA:
FREEDOM FROM HUNGER
JOHANNESBERG, SOUTH AFRICA — ALEXANDRA TOWNSHIP
produced by CIRCLE UP NOW
supporting the EVERY HUMAN HAS RIGHTS campaign
in partnership with THE ELDERS and ACTION AID
EVENT DATE: JULY 15, 2008

In support of the Every Human Has Rights campaign championed by The Elders (including Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson and many others) as well as ActionAid’s global food crisis campaign, on July 15th, 2008, Circle Up Now coordinated twenty-two hundred South African students gathered in a field in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg, to participate in a community building workshop addressing the global food crisis. The event culminated in a large-scale human aerial artwork, depicting Nelson Mandela, with a message of “Freedom From Hunger” surrounded by one of the world’s largest ‘Ubuntu’ drumming circles. A framed aerial photo and a video tribute from the event was prepared to be presented to Nelson Mandela at his 90th Birthday Party on July 18th.

The intent of this event and experience was to empower South African youth with the knowledge of what human rights are, why they are entitled to them, and why they need to ask their governments to protect their people from hunger.

A Global Day of Action

Circle Up Now — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:00:15 +0000



A GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION Over 24 Locations around the world in 24 Hours produced by CIRCLE UP NOW in partnership with AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL EVENT DATE: JULY 12, 2008 VIEW IMAGES FROM THIS EVENT DOWNLOAD EVENT PDF On Saturday July 12th, communities in countries throughout the world gathered in celebration and in solidarity around the idea that every human being has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. In London, Mexico City, Johannesberg, Washington DC, Seoul and a few dozen other metropolitan cities, artists, activists and supporters of Amnesty International “Circled Up” to form more than 24 aerial art images in 24 hours. These images represent the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this December. Amnesty International teamed up with Circle Up Now to deliver this powerful “visual petition” consisting of thousands of participants worldwide to make an appeal to their leaders to honor and defend basic human rights. Anchoring this Global Day of Action, held on the eve of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a key aerial art event was held in Athens, Greece, where an image formed in celebration of the ideals of the Olympic Legacy. It is hoped that this image will compel the International Olympic Committee to consider adding Human Rights as the 5th pillar of criteria in choosing host cities for future Olympic games.

Aerial Art Gifted To Chilean President

John Quigley — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:54:19 +0000

Over 1200 people showed to create a human whale in Santiago, Chile this past week. While it was not the official launch of the Circle Up Now Tour – it does represent a true link between the environment and human rights.

Francisco Letelier and I collaborated to create this image. Letelier is a well known Chilean Artist living in Los Angeles, whose father was a human rights activist assassinated in Washington DC by Pinochet in the 1970′s.

Together, we incorporated a circle as a sanctuary portal for the endangered whales to enter into as they called for a permanent global whale sanctuary. The image appeared on the front page of the three largest newspapers in Chile as well as throughout Latin America, Spain, Mexico, and Australia. There was also heavy TV coverage in Chile and Australia.

The next day the Image was presented to the Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile, at a reception following a ceremony to declare Chilean waters a permanent whale sanctuary.

Read the articles from the papers!

La Nacion | La Tercera | La Tercera Article