It Ain’t Like That Anymore

I was fortunate to have met Chuck Martin and his wonderful wife Sally before their passing. I am also friends with their son Tom Martin. My thoughts of Chuck in this time of the Corona virus induced panic and the death of George Floyd with the ensuing riots has caused me to share a story that was taken as a single page in Chuck’s life and another page in the life of our nation.

Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered on April 4, 1968. MLK Jr. was at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement in the Unites States making progress peaceably. His fiery marches were necessary to draw attention to the issues of black American citizens. His occupation as a Baptist minister allowed him to speak eloquently and to the point. His protests drew attention to the inequality of minorities in the United States. Although violent acts were being committed all around him, he remained law abiding while wielding a wedge of civil disobedience.

Most people know the history of MLK Jr. much better than I do, but because history is being neglected in our schools, I gave a brief synopsis of his stance for a better America.

Now, back to my original connection between Chuck Martin and MLK Jr. Chuck was a world traveler with Sally. He was also a noted photographer. His black and white photographs from around the world and especially Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are extremely candid and prized.

With both men’s shortened history behind me, I’ll connect the two. Chuck Martin drove into Pittsburgh the day after the killing of Martin Luther King Jr. He understood the historic event that was unfolding and walked into the Hill District to capture the grief and sadness of the community at MLK Jr.’s death. Chuck was the only photographer that caught the crowd’s reactions. The grief over his death bound the men and women together. There was sadness, yes; grief, yes, but there was no violence. The crowd maintained the dream of MLK Jr. and remained peaceful. Most media people were afraid to cover the story in the Hill District, but Chuck felt it was necessary to be there.

The death of George Floyd is tragic and inexcusable. His death should not go unpunished. But was the murder of MLK Jr. any less tragic. Are the ideals MLK Jr. upheld to be casually tossed aside? Are the riots and looting the same as the protests of MLK Jr. or have they evolved into excuses for looting and greed? The peaceful protests of MLK Jr. are a far cry from the scenes of anarchy and destruction that we see today under the thin veil of protest.

(See: https://digital.library.pitt.edu/collection/charles-r-martin-photographs?page=1)