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When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, protested the Viet Nam conflict at UN Headquarters in the 1960s, Dr. King compared the anti-war movement to the fight for equality for Black people in the US. This comparison has since become a powerful rallying cry in the ongoing battle against racism.
In 1967, Dr. King led a delegation to meet with the esteemed Ralph Bunche and other top UN officials. Mr. Bunche, the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and Dr. King, the second, discussed peaceful resolutions to the Vietnam conflict.
Watch our report on UN legend Mr. Bunche here.
During the interaction, Dr. King presented a petition urging an immediate and peaceful end to the Vietnam conflict. He had earlier participated in a massive march against the war.
Watch UN Video’s Stories from the UN Archive episode on Dr. King below:
‘No justice without peace, no peace without justice’
Dr. King delivered a powerful plea for peace outside UN Headquarters in 1967.
He emphasized the need for an immediate and peaceful resolution to the Vietnam war. Dr. King stressed the interconnectedness of peace and justice, asserting that one cannot exist without the other.
UN Photo/Teddy Chen
Dr. King speaks to the press at UN Headquarters in New York in 1967. (file)
Inspiring future generations
Dr. King actively advocated for peace until his assassination in 1968, intensifying the connection between international conflict and domestic injustice. His activism, from the March to Montgomery to his iconic I Have a Dream speech, continues to inspire future generations.
Dr. King’s granddaughter, 15-year-old activist Yolanda Renee King, carries on his legacy by speaking out against racial injustice. Her message at the UN General Assembly Hall commemorating the International Day of Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade emphasized the importance of social justice and equality.
Watch her full statement below:
Stories from the UN Archive
UN News is highlighting significant moments from UN history sourced from the UN Audiovisual Library. Explore UN Video’s Stories from the UN Archive playlist here and our related series here.
