The King referred to in the title is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was a force for change in the US during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Many people will know or heard his famous I have a Dream speech given at the million man march – when American Americans from all over the US and people who supported them, marched peacefully in Washington DC. In the book, Tavis Smiley with David Ritz examined the last year of Dr. King’s life. After reaching the mountain top with the march, what did Dr. King turn to and what were his plans? Dr. King believed in social justice and the big three were Poverty, Racism and Militarism. Those are big issues – he was trying to organize a march by those in Poverty. Racism did not change overnight after the worst laws to keep the races segregated were changed; and the 1960s was the involvement of the US in Vietnam. It was becoming an issue, why was America in the war? how long was it going to last? and what is an acceptable outcome? Dr. King was against the war.

On the Poverty side, the worst city for poverty in the early 1960s was Newark, New Jersey. If you go on You Tube and look up worst cities in 2018, Newark has kept its title for much too long.  In the book, Dr. King is asking why can Congress allocate $35 billion for a war in Vietnam and only $3.5 for its poorest 32 million citizens? In 2018, President Trump is increasing the military budget and cut agencies such as Housing and Urban Development and other Social Programs. Has anything changed?

Linking to dividend paying stocks, this is where as investors you are not looking for much change. It is a great credit for a company to exist for generations earning profits and paying dividends, with those dividends increasing over time. It takes good management to do that. On the social side and politicians, it seems little does change.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.