April 3–4, 2026
On April 4th, 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered an address declaring his opposition to the Vietnam War and decrying the triple evils of racism, militarism, and economic exploitation. One year later — April 4th, 1968 — he was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
Vincent Harding drafted the April 4th speech for Martin Luther King Jr., although he would always tell me the ways that his brother Martin made the speech his own. In the years after King's assassination, Harding was a key historian of the movement, teaching not only the historical facts of the events he witnessed and participated in, but helping millions understand the meaning of the struggle for which he and his companions risked and gave their lives. Harding often commemorated April 4th as a way to call attention to King's radical commitments to love and the revolution of values called for in Dr. King's speech.
It was a privilege to know and learn from Vincent Harding. He helped renew my commitment to the struggle for American democracy.
The Harding Gathering (April 3)
On April 3rd, 2026, Aljosie Harding and I invited many who knew and loved Dr. Vincent Gordon Harding to New York to reflect on the wisdom he shared with us and what that wisdom means for us now in this moment. We used the storytelling model of SNCC organizer and founder of the Free Southern Theater John O'Neal to call forth the stories of Dr. Harding, our beloved mentor, friend, husband and uncle. It was a powerful act of remembering the movement that he and so many others gave their lives to. These reflections will be produced and shared. Stay tuned.
Riverside Church (April 4)
On April 4th, 2026, we commemorated the speech as hundreds of people gathered at Riverside Church in New York City to re-voice the prophetic words co-written by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Vincent Gordon Harding.
The experience, which you can watch above, was followed by a live recording of On Being with Krista Tippett. In conversation with Michelle Alexander, we reflected on Vincent Harding's legacy and the fierce urgency of now.
I am grateful for the support of Union Theological Seminary and Riverside Church in organizing the gathering. It was a powerful moment to recommit ourselves to the revolution of values expressed in "Beyond Vietnam." I want to express my gratitude to each of those who "re-voiced" King and Harding's words.
I want to express my gratitude to Aljosie Harding, the Freeney Harding Family and The National Council of Elders. I want to express my gratitude for Rachel Elizabeth Harding who has joined the ancestors since we convened these events.
The Is America Possible? project is a creation of Lucas Johnson in partnership with Union Theological Seminary and in collaboration with Transformative Change.