Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr., and Tea
Today we honor the birthday of the civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. And this article by Erika Cilengir from 2013 seemed important to republish and update. As she shares the story of her wedding, she reminds us that tearooms played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement in much the same way that they did during the Suffrage Movement. People gathered to explore non-violent ways to bring fairness to those who were not allowed to vote.
In our small way, T Ching serves as a kind of virtual Tearoom where people gather to make tea more meaningful in their lives. To make the personal experience of tea richer and more robust. But it serves us all well to remember that we gave support and shelter in the past to those who were called to bring an imperfect nation closer to the ideals of our founding fathers, to the document they created, The Declaration of Independence and to the Pledge of Alleginace, “. . . with liberty and justice for all.”
As we continue to struggle to live the dreams on which this country was created, it seems important to remember that the lineage of tea people in the U.S. and the role they played. Let’s sip a cup of tea today as we remember.
The recent 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech provided an excuse to listen once again to King’s powerful oratory and an opportunity to reflect on my husband’s and my personal connection to Dr. King. One of my parents’ good friends and a frequent visitor to our home as I was growing up was Rev. Glenn Smiley. Rev. Smiley and his wife, Helen, shared many of my parents’ beliefs, including the core tenets that shaped their lives – those of nonviolence and justice.
As a child and young adult, I knew nothing of Rev. Smiley’s pivotal role in the civil rights movement. In fact, even when my parents suggested that my husband-to-be and I ask Rev. Smiley to marry us, we had no knowledge of his friendship with Dr. King. It was not until years later that we came to appreciate how fortunate we were to have been married by Rev. Smiley.
For those of you who may not be familiar with Rev. Smiley’s legacy, it is an impressive one. Not surprisingly, however, it was his association with Dr. King as an advisor who encouraged him to adopt Gandhi’s nonviolent approach to change that solidified that legacy. Rev. Smiley also accompanied Dr. King on the first desegregated bus ride in 1956 in Montgomery, Alabama; encouraged joint prayer meetings between black and white ministers in the South; and founded the Justice-Action-Peace Latin America group that organized seminars on nonviolence.
Even before his association with Dr. King, Rev. Smiley was at the forefront of what was to become the modern civil rights movement. In 1940, as a leader in the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), Rev. Smiley “led a three-month civil disobedience campaign to desegregate the tea room in Bullock’s Department Store in downtown Los Angeles,” according to Pro-Justice Ethics: From Lament to Nonviolence, by Richard Hughes. What was essentially a sit-in was a success, accomplishing what 11 bias suits failed to accomplish – the integration of the Bullock’s Department Store tea room, a well-known gathering spot for the rich and famous.
Although this tea room had been set up to exclude, another – the Crystal Tea Room, also in Los Angeles – served as a venue for bringing musicians, both black and white, together to circumvent those within the music industry and arts establishment who sought to restrict rather than embrace. Jazz greats Buddy Collette and Bill Green organized weekly jam sessions at the Crystal Tea Room to encourage budding jazz musicians to improve their craft.
What about the tea served at these pre-World War II watering holes? Alcohol was likely the drink of choice, despite the “tea room” monikers. Although according to an account in Ted Gioia’s West Coast Jazz: Modern Jazz in California, 1945-1960, among the events hosted by Collette and Green at the Crystal Tea Room was a “Sunday ‘no alcohol’ event.” So perhaps a tea bag or two did indeed unite with some hot water now and again.
Images supplied by the author.
This is a great article Erika, you must be very fortunate to have known this man personally. Our Kenyan educated elite including the late Dr. Wangari Maathai, Barack Obama Sr and my father Samuel owe their educational accomplishments to Dr. Martin Luther King, William X Scheinman, Jackie Robinson, Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier and ofcourse the Kennedy family who established educational scholarships for Kenyan students during the 1950s and 60s. All these prominent Kenyans were able to interact with prominent civil rights leaders in the U.S. and when they returned home in the late 60s were able to apply these principles to a burgeoning civil society in Kenya. This is why my father Samuel fought ardently for the civil rights of the small scale tea farmers in Kenya applying principles of justice and equality for all and eventually establishing a government free tea cooperative for over 580,000 farmers.
What a wonderful legacy, Joy! I look forward to visiting your homeland in the not-too-distant future!
That is so cool, Erika, that you were married by one of the greats! This post associates tea with the real people who took risks for the good of all of us. That’s heroism, I think. Thanks for an inspiring and informative post. I want to be in your tea party!
Beyond the great story, Erika…having met you in our store awhile back, I must say you were a lovely bride as well!!
Thank you, Diane!
Thank you Erika! One of the best and I was fortunate to be a guest at your wedding!
Excellent article, and I totally agree that you have to put out great content that your audience will find valuable on a regular basis.
Erika,
I loved this article as it touched on topics I am so passionate about and in particular racism and all forms of discrimination that pollutes all social and economic activities. What an eye opener that the birth of the civil rights movement was juxtaposed with the growth of the tea movement in this country. We must never forget the sacrifices made by those who died, were hosed down and in Kenya tear gassed and held in prisons for the right to control our destinies. Finally, I want you to know that you are welcome to Kenya and you will be welcomed with open hands and hearts by my family and the farmers. Our tea friends who traveled to Kenya last month met with my father and Grandpa Arthur and the tea farmers who opened their hearts and homes because we told them to treat them as family. So tell your wonderful husband and son to pack their bags because Kenya welcomes you!!!
Joy, your comment brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for your kind words.
Oh, my… lovely! This is such an inspiring piece, Erika. Indeed I did not know about Rev. Smiley, not to mention he married you. And what a connection to make with tea rooms, too. Thank you!