Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday

January 18, 2012

Good Afternoon and Welcome,

I am so pleased to have all of you here at my home today to join us in celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Dr. King, along with the many thousands of Americans who joined him in the civil rights struggle, changed the course of America history.  His impact on our society was so profound that each year we celebrate his birthday as a national holiday.  He is the only American to be honored in such a way -- an indication of the respect Americans feel for him and his commitment to justice.

What makes Dr. King such a powerful figure is his undying commitment to non-violence in pursuit of universal justice, equality and freedom.  This 1964 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate is someone who not only talked the talk, but walked the walk, literally, time and time again.  Dr. King was at the forefront of marches to end the ugly, brutal, and dehumanizing system of racial segregation in the United States. He was often met with violence and was jailed on numerous occasions, but could not be deterred from pursuing the dream of a society where all people, regardless of the color of their skin, were equal.  As he told us in his most famous speech, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

There is no doubt that because of the courage of people like Dr. King, Rosa Parks who kicked off the Montgomery bus boycott, Fannie Lou Hammer who was beat for defending workers rights, and so many ordinary citizens of all races and economic backgrounds, who were willing to take a stand for justice, we have made tremendous progress in the United States.

On Monday, the United States will celebrate the inauguration of President Barack Obama for his second term.  It is particularly fitting that it will be celebrated on the Martin Luther King, Jr. national holiday.  The dream of Dr. King’s that people be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character is embodied in the election of President Obama.  It was the relentless pursuit of justice by Dr. King and others that made it possible that, as President Obama said in his first inaugural address, “a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served in a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.“

Change is possible.  It isn’t quick; it isn’t easy; but it can happen through dedication, sacrifice and commitment of people to define and pursue the kind of society they want to live in. We in the United States have come a long way, but we still need to continue our pursuit of “a more perfect union.”  Citizens must be ever vigilant in their efforts to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms.  That is true in the United States, just as it is in every country around the world.

That is why the model of Dr. King is so powerful.  He was not a politician.  He was an ordinary husband, father, and Methodist minister who took action and encouraged others to take action to make the United States a more just society.   He is an example of how, no matter who we are, we can create tremendous change by using our own talents and abilities to stand up for what is right. And so we choose to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy with you our friends and colleagues in Swaziland not only because of the powerful message he gave and the example he set for Americans, but because Dr. King was also an internationalist and humanist who understood the importance of linking the struggles of people everywhere to fight poverty, disease and social injustice.

And so we want to pay tribute to the universal values he stood and fought for today which continue to be as important for the United States as they are for Swaziland. We have chosen to celebrate today through music, spoken word, and the visual arts.  It is not just because we enjoy a good song or poem or a beautiful picture, but because we believe that the arts are a powerful tool to create positive change in any society. 

During Dr. King’s time, music sustained the civil rights activists.  Across America during his time, people sang as they marched for equality.  They used hymns to uplift their spirits and created folk songs that told the story of the movement.  Artists were integral to the movement for justice and equality in the United States.  That tradition continues today in poetry slams, visual art that reflects the reality around us, and of course hip hop music through which young people everywhere are expressing themselves about the reality of their world.

So I am delighted that several of Swaziland’s best artists have taken up our invitation today to sing songs, recite poems and create artwork around the principles that inspired Dr. King’s work-- freedom, equality, persistence, justice and courage.  These are universal principles that underlie human rights and justice and we are certain that these principles will come alive in a profound way through the creativity of Swaziland’s artists.

We trust that they will provoke thought and discussion not only among all of you, but in your families, workplaces and communities. I invite you to enjoy the performances, the reading of inspirational Dr. King quotes by the children in the American Embassy Community, and encourage you to be sure to view and purchase the original works of art on display in the residence.  With that I will turn the program over to the head of the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Section – Molly Sanchez Crowe who will get our program started.