Mary Frances Early shares a Lesson of Love
Speaking on Valentine’s Day, Mary Frances Early used love as the focus of her speech to more than 400 people at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Breakfast celebrating the university’s 50th anniversary of desegregation.
Mary Frances Early, the first black student to earn a degree from the University of Georgia, spoke on the passion and courage of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life. “Today we celebrate Valentine’s day… which is a day of sentimental or romantic love,” Early said. “King’s life however, his entire life in words, were based on another type of love.”
A love that was much more powerful. This love called “Agape,” is a Greek word that means an unconditional or selfless love for others.
Early was personally affected by the prominent preacher, teacher and man that Dr. King was. While attending classes at UGA, she “went home as much as [she] could to hear Dr. King’s sermons.”
Mary Frances Early had to battle many tough situations while studying at UGA, but, “Dr. King’s preaching gave [her] reassurance, help and strength when [she] needed it most.”
Martin Luther King’s philosophies of nonviolent protest “changed [Early’s] life and that of many others in this nation and around the world” Early said. “Though Dr. King is no longer with us physically, his dream: the American dream… [will be] engraved forever on our consciousness. His dream of justice, equality, tolerance and brotherhood for all should be our dream. We have to complete the work that he so valiantly and courageously did.”
Early said Martin Luther King, Jr. lived his life as the ultimate example. In the words of King his goal was to “transform the jangling discourse of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.”
As a result, Early said, “We blacks, whites, Asians, Hispanics, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, atheists- all of us are the beneficiaries of his legacy. And it is our… responsibility to make that dream become a complete reality.”
Early quoted Langston Hughes, a black American novelist, “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun or does it explode?”
She saw to it that her dream would neither dry up nor explode, but that her dream would become a reality.
While taking postgraduate courses at the University of Michigan, Early became fully aware of the escalating civil rights struggle and wanted desperately to participate in the struggle for equality.
A native of Atlanta, she saw the desegregation struggle that was taking Atlanta by storm. She decided there was something she could do; she would transfer to UGA and support Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter. They were the first black students at UGA, and had been enrolled for a year. In Early’s first two years on campus, she earned a master of music education degree and became the first black student to graduate from the university in 1962.
After the inspiring passion and courage shown in Early’s life, one can only wonder what difference can be made now. In the words of King, Early said, we must keep in mind that “life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?”
Early encourages us to take action by extending love. “That’s something we can do everyday” she said. “If we don’t have financial resources to share we can express love through a genuine smile of acknowledgement, a pat on the back for encouragement, a hug for those who need it or a visit to one who is alone and lonely.”
In his last speech, King addressed how he’d like to be remembered. He said, “I’d like someone to mention that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others. I tried to love and serve humanity. That we all can do, each and every day.”
Like the popular lyrics by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, Early said, “What the world needs now is love sweet love, it’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.”
The power of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream remains strong among us now.
“Though we as Americans have come a very long way, and here at the University of Georgia we have come a very long way since 1961, we are still not there,” Early said. “Dr. King’s dream cannot be deferred or it will dry up, and we cannot let that happen.”
Mary Frances Early closed with a very powerful statement.
“I ask you to celebrate Dr. King’s courage and rich legacy by serving and loving others. In doing so we can all help to make America what it ought to be. We can make America a better nation. We can help to bring Dr. King’s dream to fruition because the power of the dream will give us the courage to do so.”
Source: Attendee
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