Monday, January 17, 2011

Martin Luther King Day 2011 / Walking



























From page 59 of Wanderlust: A History of Walking, by Rebecca Solnit:

"A photograph of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery march has been on my refrigerator for months, and it speaks of this inspired walking. Taken by Matt Heron, it shows a steady stream of marchers three or four wide moving from right to left across the photograph. He must have lain low to take it, for it raises its subjects up high against a pale, clouded sky. They seem to know they are walking toward transformation and into history, and their wide steps, upraised hands, the confidence of their posture, express the will with which they go to meet it. They have found in this walk a way to make their history rather than suffer it, to measure their strength and test their freedom, and their movement expresses the same sense of destiny and meaning that resonates in King's deep-voiced, indomitable oratory." (my italics)

Last night just before sleep, I opened my copy of Wanderlust: A History of Walking, which I just started reading in the last week, and saw the above words. Thanks to Solitary Walker in the Midlands of England for mentioning the book on his blog.

1 comment:

The Solitary Walker said...

Glad you're finding good stuff in that book... and thanks for the link!