Happy 80th Birthday, Dr. King!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's 80th birthday is January 15, 2009. It's hard to believe that he's not alive to witness Barack Obama become the 44th President of the United States, especially since he said that he'd traveled to the mountaintop and looked over into the Promised Land.

Carter Temple used to celebrate Dr. King's birthday with an event called the Dream Keeper's Workshop which taught children and kids his 10 Principles of Non-Violent Social Change.

The night before he died I remember seeing the news story of how Dr. King had delivered his “Mountain Top” speech. I have later memories of seeing him deliver the speech in its entirety in a documentary as well as reading the words. It was a very powerful speech and I encourage every young person to read what he had to say on the day before he died. After reading this speech I'm sure you will agree that Dr. King can never really die because he lives on in his words.

On April 3, 1968, Dr. King told a crowd at the Mason Temple Church of God in Christ:
“It really doesn’t matter what happens now…some began to talk of threats that were out—what would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers…Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place, but I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the Promised Land. And so I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

Happy Birthday, Dr. King!

"45 years later--I Have a Dream, Too"

One thing I've noticed about turning 50 is that I have a tendency to vividly recall historical things I remember hearing and seeing either in-person or on television. I started kindergarten in September 1963--I was five years old. I recall the full year prior to turning five years old because I wanted to be five so badly so I could go to school.

For my fifth birthday I received the present of my dreams--a 26-volume set of Britannica Junior Encyclopedias. The irony is that I wanted these books so badly but I couldn't even read yet. I was fortunate that my parents were young enough o envision a day when I would be an avid reader and to this day I am.

Three days after my 5th birthday, my brother Mark who was about 3 years old and I sat with our mother and watched the March on Washington on television. I didnt really understand why they were marching but I do recall noting there was a huge crowd of what could have easily been over 50 people! I would later learn that there were over 200 thousand people. I recall seeing the Lincoln Memorial and the fountain where people were standing around it.

Dr. Martin Luther King spoke to the crowd and the people became excited at his words. I just recall the last words, "Free at last, free at last--Thank God Almighty we're free at last!"

I would later learn that the "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. It was the culmination of the Civil Rights "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom". This single event was considered a defining moment in Civil Rights history.

Dr. King spoke of the desire for a future where blacks and whites would coexist harmoniously as equals. The March on Washington put pressure on the Kennedy Administration to advance Civil Rights legislation in Congress.

Dr. King was named Time Magazine's 'Man of the Year' for 1963 & 1964. He was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize--the youngest person in history to ever receive the award.

45 years later, Senator Barack Obama is poised to become the first African American to be elected to the office of President of the United States of America.

I have a dream that together, Americans from all walks of life will come together in November 2008 to make this happen.

Today is a great day in American history as Senator Obama accepts the Democratic Party nomination tonight on the anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech. He is standing on the shoulders of a giant.

Rest in Peace Dr. King.