N.J. Pastor says younger generations appreciate, but don’t honor, Civil Rights struggle

Dr. Charles McNeil, senior pastor of Transfiguration Baptist church in Mantua Township, N.J., wonders if the current generation of young African-Americans fully understands the impact of past Civil Rights struggles.

This week, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, we are looking at the legacy of civil rights and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I have a dream” speech. We asked a group of African-Americans involved in education, business, faith and social justice about the significance of “The Dream” at 50. For some people it’s about memories, for others it is about the long-term impact on their lives and their communities.

At the height of the Civil Rights movement, the social landscape of America was very different from how it is today. Dr. Charles McNeil, senior pastor of Transfiguration Baptist church in Mantua Township, N.J., wonders if the current generation of young African-Americans fully understands the impact of the struggles of the past.

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