Last week our nation commemorated its 250th “birthday” on July 4. That same day, one of our nation’s prophetic patriots died at the age of 89. The Rev. Ed King may not be familiar to many of you, but he embodied the nonviolent self-sacrificial way of Jesus in the struggle for racial justice. As a young white Methodist pastor, he served as the chaplain at Tougaloo College, an HBCU, in Jackson, MS. Rev. King, a native of MS, became active in the Civil Rights Movement in the state that was among the most violent opponents of racial justice. Historian John Dittmer observed that by the summer of 1964, King had become “the most visible white activist in the Mississippi [civil rights] movement, and he paid a heavy price for honoring his convictions.” He was a friend and colleauge of such well known Civil Rights leaders as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bob Moses, Medgar Evers, and Fannie Lou Hamer. He participated in the infamous Jackson lunch counter sit-in of 1963, Freedom Summer in 1964, and was nominated as the candidate for lieutenant governor by the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. He endured regualr persecution for his efforts including multiple jailings and beatings. In June 1963, his car was sabotaged resulting in a horrific accident that caused disfiguring damage to the right side of his face. This required multiple reconstructive surguries leaving him with life long scars. Despite being in significant pain and needing regular medical attention, Rev. King continued his commitment to faith based nonviolent action for racial justice throughout the years of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.
Several years ago, I had the privildge of attending a program in Washington, DC where I met Rev. Ed King. The history of the movement that seems so long ago becomes real in the presence of the living witnesses. His death reminds me that the generation of those who put their lives on the line during the Civil Rights Movement is inevitably passing away. It is up to us to learn and teach the history of their courage and commitment to racial justice. This is especially true today as the current administration tries to whitewash our nation’s history by denying or minimizing the reality and legacy of racism. Honoring the life and witness of Rev. Ed King is also a call to follow his example of being a “prophetic patriot” in the Way and Spirit of Jesus. The video posted below features an interview with Rev. Ed King. Please take the time to watch it as a way of honoring his life and reflecting on God’s call to serve as “prophetic patriots” today.