In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. joined a quarter-million people on the National Mall for the March on Washington. After years of smaller demonstrations, this historic event began to galvanize a movement. People of all ages and races joined together to pursue a common goal of racial equality. Now, we reflect on the impact of Dr. King’s life and the mark that he left on American history.
Dr. King’s roots as a pastor shaped the principles that guided his leadership of the civil rights movement. His position at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, in the 1950s and 1960s gave him a pulpit from which to gain the respect and confidence of the African-American community. He battled the injustice of segregation, but his commitment to nonviolence set him apart from his radical counterparts. He passionately promoted the ideals of peace, freedom, and racial unity. As racial tensions escalated in Montgomery, King’s prominent status gave him the unique opportunity to lead a community away from violence and toward peaceful civil disobedience.
Beginning with the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, Dr. King and other community leaders organized nonviolent protests of segregation laws in many southern cities. These massive, peaceful demonstrations gained national attention and gave hope to many. The March on Washington stirred President Lyndon Johnson and congressional lawmakers to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Foreign audiences even drew inspiration from King and led peaceful independence movements in more than 100 countries.
At the Lincoln Memorial, an engraving marks the place on the steps where Dr. King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. From that stone, one can look across the National Mall toward the Capitol, where we will witness another historic event on January 20. The Inaugural swearing-in ceremonies of America’s first African-American president give us the opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s dream.
In most respects, it has been fulfilled. Not only have all public vestiges of segregation ended, the attitudes of Americans have obviously changed. You can imagine how proud he would be this Inauguration day.
King’s legacy of service also endures in the way we commemorate a day in his honor. In 1994, Congress enacted legislation that recognized Martin Luther King, Jr., Day as a national day of service. Schools, families and religious organizations orchestrate and participate in volunteer projects across the country. These include distributing food at homeless shelters, cleaning parks, and constructing homes for impoverished families. Millions of Americans will follow Dr. King’s example and serve in their neighborhoods. It is important to recognize that building up America starts with our local communities.
As we remember Dr. King, let us be vigilant of the principles that he firmly held: a firm and confident belief in the Almighty and in the promise of freedom and equality in America’s founding documents. We should honor him by continuing to pursue his dream.
