Former President Barack Obama pressed upon young people the importance of persistence when it comes to creating social change, in a video tribute to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the 50th anniversary of his assassination.
“Part of what you always want to communicate to young people is that being on the right side of history isn’t always popular and it isn’t always easy,” Obama said.
“And you don’t know when things are going to break your way, you don’t know whether your labors will deliver,” he continued.
This week—50 years since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed—@BarackObama and @RepJohnLewis sat down with a group of young men for an @MBK_Alliance roundtable to talk about Dr. King’s legacy and the courage it takes to stand up for what you believe in: https://t.co/Hdfsf3iuOs pic.twitter.com/Y0b0RpJ36D
— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) April 4, 2018
Obama made the comments during a video released by the Obama Foundation on the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination on the balcony of the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968.
The video also showcased Obama’s discussion with Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and a group of young black men about King’s legacy.
“John was one of my inspirations to get into public life,” Obama added, referring to the civil rights icon.
