by James Melson | Feb 9, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
February is the annual celebration of Black History Month. Its origins go back to 1926 when the Black scholar and historian Carter G. Woodson developed Negro History Week during the week in February that included the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham...
by James Melson | Feb 2, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
These first days of Black History Month 2023 are a vivid reminder that the struggle for racial justice is not confined to the past. The murder of Tyre Nichols by police officers in Memphis reveals the deep roots of racism that still exist in our nation. Some people...
by James Melson | Jan 25, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
This week on January 27 marks the 67th anniversary of a crucial event in the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was not a famous speech, protest, or campaign of nonviolent direct action. Rather January 27, 1956 was a profound spiritual experience that was...
by James Melson | Jan 18, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
A new sculpture in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King was recently added to the historic Boston Common. It is called “The Embrace” and is inspired by a 1964 photo showing Dr. and Mrs. King embracing following the news that he would receive the...
by James Melson | Jan 12, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
As Christmas becomes a memory and we move into this new year, it is easy to forget the part of the Biblical story of the child Jesus after the familiar scenes in Bethlehem. Following the visit of the Magi (wise men), there is the terrifying account of king Herod’s...
by James Melson | Jan 4, 2023 | 2023, Weekly Reflection
New Year’s Day of 2023 marked the 160th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Most Americans know that this is related to the end of slavery in our nation. Yet the proclamation itself is an example of the complex and unfinished journey of freedom and racial...
