Monday, January 16, was Martin Luther King Jnr day in the United States - a time of remembering a quite remarkable religious and civil rights leader who led an inspirational non-violent resistance to legalised racial prejudice.
Another world renowned Christian leader, Billy Graham, who is now well into his 90's, paid tribute to King, who he counted as a good friend.
"One night civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whom I was pleased to count a friend, gave an eloquent opening prayer at the service; he also came at my invitation to one of our Team retreats during the Crusade to help us understand the racial situation in America more fully," Graham wrote in his autobiography.
King himself credited Graham for using his fame as America’s most famous Christian figure of the 60’s and 70’s to assist in giving momentum to his civil rights protests.
King once said, "Had it not been for the ministry of my good friend Dr. Billy Graham, my work in the civil rights movement would not have been as successful as it has been."
During the civil rights movement, Dr. Graham preached: "Jesus was not a white man; He was not a black man. He came from that part of the world that touches Africa and Asia and Europe. Christianity is not a white man’s religion, and don’t let anybody ever tell you that it’s white or black. Christ belongs to all people; He belongs to the whole world."
Graham also recounted the moment he learned of King’s tragic death. Graham was touring Australia when he was told that King had been assassinated.
"I was almost in a state of shock,” said Graham. “Not only was I losing a friend through a vicious and senseless killing, but America was losing a social leader and a prophet, and I felt his death would be one of the greatest tragedies in our history."
Graham also shared how his thinking on racial equality changed very early on.
"I cannot point to any single event or intellectual crisis that changed my mind on racial equality. At Wheaton College, I made friends with black students, and I recall vividly one of them coming to my room one day and talking with deep conviction about America’s need for racial justice.
"Most influential, however, was my study of the Bible, leading me eventually to the conclusion that not only was racial inequality wrong but Christians especially should demonstrate love toward all peoples."