MLK Birthday

I am pleased to see that Bishop Woodie White has continued his tradition of writing a letter to Martin Luther King, Jr. in observance of Dr. King's birthday. Not only is it a reflection on King's life, but on the current status of race relations during the past year. This year's letter focuses on Rosa Parks and provides interesting reading.

My memories of the events that surrounded King's life were formed in a different place and way than most of my South Carolina friends. I viewed the civil rights movement through another lens. One of my faith heroes, the late Rev. McKay Brabham whose writings and actions in the 1960s caused quite a stir within S.C. Methodism, has since helped me understand better some of the dynamics present during this time. In his later years I had the opportunity to visit with him on a number of occasions and hear about the pain and agony of those days. The joy of this experience was realizing that I was in the company of a man that knew what it meant, and was not afraid, to be faithful to God. Racial matters continue. May strong voices like Martin Luther King, Jr. and A. McKay Brabham still speak to our minds and hearts.