ALCOAST 002/09
COMDTNOTE 5354
SUBJ: BIRTHDAY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR
1. ON MONDAY 19 JANUARY 2009 THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA WILL HONOR DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 80TH
BIRTHDAY, HAD HE NOT BEEN SHOT ON A HOTEL BALCONY IN MEMPHIS, WHERE
HE DIED IN A HOSPITAL SOON AFTERWARD ON 4 APRIL 1968. THE NIGHT
BEFORE, IN A PROPHETIC AND HISTORIC SPEECH, DR. KING SAID, "WE VE
GOT SOME DIFFICULT DAYS AHEAD.  BUT IT DOESNT MATTER TO ME NOW.
BECAUSE I VE BEEN TO THE MOUNTAINTOP...AND I VE LOOKED OVER. AND I
HAVE SEEN THE PROMISED LAND.  I MAY NOT GET THERE WITH YOU. BUT I
WANT YOU TO KNOW TONIGHT, THAT WE, AS A PEOPLE, WILL GET TO THE
PROMISED LAND."
2. THIS YEAR, THE CELEBRATION OF DR. KINGS BIRTHDAY AND LEGACY
FALLS ON THE EVE OF ANOTHER HISTORIC EVENT THAT MAY BE SEEN AS THE
FRUIT OF DR. KINGS LIFE LONG LABOR IN THE FIELD OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND
LEADERSHIP FOR CHANGE THROUGH NON-VIOLENT MEANS--THE INAUGURATION
AS PRESIDENT OF BARACK OBAMA, THE FIRST MAN TO HOLD THE OFFICE
WHOSE LINEAGE IS BI-RACIAL, A FATHER FROM KENYA AND A KANSAS-BORN
AMERICAN MOTHER.  WERE DR. KING TO HAVE LIVED TO WITNESS THIS
EVENT, ONE IMAGINES HE WOULD REGARD IT AS GREAT PROGRESS TOWARD THE
DREAM OF WHICH HE SO ELOQUENTLY SPOKE IN HIS MORE FAMOUS "I HAVE A
DREAM" SPEECH.
3. DR. KING WAS BORN ON 15 JANUARY 1929 IN ATLANTA AND GREW TO
FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HIS FATHER AND MATERNAL GRANDFATHER,
BECOMING A PASTOR AND PROPONENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS. AFTER COMPLETING
HIS STUDIES AT THE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY, DR.
KING ACCEPTED A POSITION AS THE SENIOR PASTOR, DEXTER AVENUE
BAPTIST CHURCH, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA IN 1954. THE DECISION BY ROSA
PARKS, A BLACK PASSENGER, WHO REFUSED TO GIVE UP HER SEAT TO A
WHITE PASSENGER ON A MONTGOMERY CITY BUS IN 1955, LED DR. KING AND
OTHERS TO ORGANIZE A SUCCESSFUL, 11-MONTH BOYCOTT OF THE MONTGOMERY
CITY BUSES. THE BOYCOTT ENDED WHEN THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT
ALABAMAS LAWS, WHICH REQUIRED RACIALLY SEGREGATED SEATING, WERE
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.  DR. KING HELD FAST TO HIS PRINCIPLES OF
NONVIOLENCE AND SUCCESSFULLY PUSHED FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 AND THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.
4. TODAY, BECAUSE DR. KING WORKED TOWARD A DREAM OF EQUALITY, HIS
BIRTHDAY IS CELEBRATED AS A "DAY OF SERVICE."  DR. KING BELIEVED IN
A NATION OF FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, AND ENCOURAGED ALL
CITIZENS TO LIVE UP TO THE PURPOSE AND POTENTIAL OF AMERICA BY
APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENCE TO MAKE THE COUNTRY A BETTER
PLACE TO LIVE.  THE "DAY OF SERVICE" IS A WAY TO TRANSFORM HIS LIFE
AND TEACHINGS INTO COMMUNITY SERVICE THAT HELPS SOLVE SOCIAL
PROBLEMS.
5. I ENCOURAGE THE COAST GUARD FAMILY TO MARK DR. KINGS 80TH
BIRTHDAY BY PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY EVENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE
THAT PROVIDE A SAFETY NET FOR LOW INCOME POPULATIONS, AND TO
REFLECT ON THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ONE OF AMERICAS GREAT HEROES.
6. TERRI A. DICKERSON, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS SENDS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.