I don't think Dr. King helped racial harmony, I think he helped racial justice. What I profess to do is help the oppressed and if I cause a load of discomfort in the white community and the black community, that in my opinion means I'm being effective, because I'm not trying to make them comfortable. The job of an activist is to make people tense and cause social change.

John Lewis we all know was beaten terribly, almost to an inch of his life, opened doors that will never be closed, although there are forces that are attempting to close those doors.

I grew up in the 1950s and '60s, when it was almost a holiday when a black act would go on Ed Sullivan.

National Action Network, the group I founded, has affiliates or chapters in over 40 cities around the country.

It seems some have chosen to ignore or have simply forgotten the big-picture vision promoted by Dr. King and his kin.

There are now that 20 consent decrees in place like the one in Baltimore that are helping put broken police departments on a path to reform. And this is long work. Baltimore is just embarking down this road.

America has to make America become a better place for all Americans, and that`s all of us participating.