Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the great civil rights and human rights leader, once urged activists to stay encouraged through both victories and setbacks. He famously said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Dr. King understood that this arc does not move in a straight line. Often, it lies invisible beneath the surface of despair—until, through resilience and action, it breaks into the light at pivotal moments.
But the arc won’t bend on its own. It is only bent through the tireless courage and determination of leaders and ordinary people who keep pressing forward, even in the face of profound disappointment.
It is with this perspective that I choose to view the May 7, 2025 not guilty verdicts in the state criminal case in Memphis, Tennessee against the former police officers who so brutally beat Tyre Nichols, ultimately causing his death. While these verdicts are deeply painful, I urge Memphians and others to use this moment not to give in to despair — or fall into fear — but to strengthen their resolve and join the ongoing struggle for justice.
As my mother, Fayette County civil rights activist Viola McFerren, often said, “What’s right for minority people is right for majority people.” Protecting the rights of marginalized communities ensures the protection of rights for all. This principle is echoed through generations—by the slavery abolitionists of the 1800s, the civil rights leaders of the 1960s, and today’s advocates working for justice, equality, and human dignity.
Social justice is not without heartbreak. There are days of deep disappointment, like May 7th, followed by moments of renewal that nourish our souls for the road ahead.
This verdict will take time for Memphis—and the nation—to process. And there must be space to mourn. But after mourning, I urge all of us to rise with renewed spirit and courage, to put our backs and hands once more against the arc, helping to bend it toward justice for African Americans, the poor, and all people of color.
Because truly, “what’s right for minority people is right for majority people.”
Daphene R. McFerren
Executive Director
The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change
