Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

A Drum Major For a Dream

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

January 15, 1920 - April 4, 1968

The phrase, "one moment in time", allows each one of us to pause and call forth a memory that has defined our purpose, our values, and our place in this realm of society. That moment for me occurred on the afternoon of August 28, 1963 when I heard Dr. King render his "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. I will forever hear the resounding plea from his inner being as he charged us to dream.  I also recall where I was and what I was doing an April 4, 1968, when I heard the news that Dr King had been assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.  His legacy lives on in all of us and though we are still engaged in heated debates on various issues, I will always be indebted to this individual who was not afraid to stand up for the marginalized members of society.  He challenged the establishment and gave his life so that we could enjoy the basic rights of equality,  the right to vote,  the freedom to purchase a home, and, the end of job discrimination  Let us teach our children and grandchildren that the King holiday is not about just having a day off of school, but a day to celebrate, to remember and to become engaged in a service project of one's choosing.  Finally, let us teach them to remember the myriads of sacrifices that were made by Dr. King and a host of others who were not afraid to take a stand.