Honoring the Dream

January 18, 2008

On February 12, 1968 — 40 years ago — 1,300 sanitation workers in Memphis, Tenn., decided that enough was enough. They went on strike to force the city to recognize their union, AFSCME Local 1733. The walkout capped a long history of mistreatment and disrespect amid shameful working conditions. The strike was a defining moment for the modern labor and civil rights movements. Officially, the men were after rights and raises, but the signs they carried made clear that their struggle was for much more — dignity and respect. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Memphis to support the striking workers. The evening of April 3, he delivered his famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech to a packed room of strikers and supporters. The next day, he was assassinated. Visit AFSCME.org for more on AFSCME, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike. A series of events are being held in Memphis to celebrate MLK Day — read more on the AFL-CIO Blog and watch the video clip below from WREG-TV for details on how AFSCME and the labor movement are working to make Dr. King's dream a reality.