Money Walks, Money Talks
- Now that the groundwork has been laid for the march, Dr. King wants to discuss other initiatives. This march will address one particular situation, but the problem of labor discrimination is much more widespread.
- The city of Memphis isn't the only entity that's not treating African American workers fairly. Private businesses are doing it, too. And while a government can force you to pay taxes and punish you if you don't, no business can make you spend your money.
- So people can use their buying power to influence how companies treat their employees.
- Dr. K reminds his audience that, although African Americans don't have as much wealth as their white counterparts on an individual basis, "the American Negro collectively is richer than most nations of the world" (22.6).
- That's a lot of money, and coordinating how and where all of it gets spent means change can be brought about without nastiness or violence.
- Businesses want business (duh), and King says everyone can refuse to do business with them unless they implement fair labor practices. Using change (money) to make change (policy). Catchy, right?
- King then lists some of the bad actors and tells his audience not to buy their products. These companies' mistreatment of African American workers has caused those workers pain; now, King wants the companies to feel pain, and where it hurts the most. No, not there. Their wallets.
- That means that, in order to win back African American dollars, these businesses will have to put pressure on the city to change racist policies.
- Furthermore, King says, until things improve, it's important to patronize Black businesses as much as possible, which will both increase African American wealth and deprive unethical companies of profit. Double win.