COLUMBUS, Ohio –
Nearly sixty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. climbed the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered the now famous words “I Have A Dream.”
His speech on Aug. 28, 1963 was a turning point in the civil rights movement which brought about the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and Voting Rights Act in 1965.
The Defense Federal Community came together at the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Operations Center Auditorium on Jan. 18 to revisit the status of Dr. King’s dream and celebrate his legacy with special guest speaker the Reverend Joel L. King, Jr., representative for the State of Ohio on the National Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Advisory Committee and cousin of the late Dr. King.
The livestreamed event was sponsored by the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity’s African American Employment Committee. The theme for this year’s observance was “Together we can be THE Dream.”
DLA Land and Maritime Deputy Commander Kenneth Watson opened the program after the National Anthem rendered by DLA Land and Maritime Resolution Specialist Lisa Griffin, and the invocation delivered by DLA Land and Maritime Supervisory Contract Specialist Alonzo Burris II. DLA Land and Maritime Product Specialist Robert Woods served as the master of ceremonies.
Watson said Dr. King’s message and legacy of service is just as relevant and important today as it was almost sixty years ago.
“There is so much we can learn from his example,” Watson said. “There is no question that the movement that Dr. King started left its mark on our society and as we honor him, we follow his example to make every day be a ‘day on’ for each of us and each generation to follow.”
Reverend King emphasized throughout his remarks that in unity there is strength and doing things together can achieve any dream better than doing it alone.
He used the biblical story of Joshua and his men bringing down the walls of Jericho to illustrate the idea that there is strength in numbers.
He said there are many lessons to take from that story just as there are many lessons to take from the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The reverend spoke about the charged climate of the civil rights era, and how despite mistrust and uncertainty, Dr. King inspired many to act when he said, “Unity is the great need of the hour. Unity is how we must and shall overcome.”
“This is how Dr. King led this country through the Civil Rights era,” Rev. King said. “His words not only inspired black but also white, not just Christians but the Jews…not just Southerners but the Northerners to make a change in America.”
Dr. King led with words but he also led with deeds, Rev. King said, describing some of the many acts of nonviolence Dr. King participated in to further the cause of equality.
Reverend King emphasized that many strides have been made in the past toward realizing Dr. King’s dream, but much work remains to be done in achieving equality for all.
“There is still a great need today,” he said. “There still remains a deficit, a division that persists in our time.”
“I’m talking about a deficit of unity,” Rev. King said. “A deficit of harmony, a deficit of mutual compassion and concern for your fellow man.”
He put out a call to action for people to live up to their purpose, ideals and possibilities like Dr. King did and do the work needed to achieve equality today. But he warned it wouldn’t be easy. It would require great effort and sacrifice and working together to realize Dr. King’s dream.
He said people need to change their hearts and minds so they may better be able to change others around them.
“Dr. King could love his jailer when he was in jail,” Rev. King said. “He could forgive all who assailed him…then surely we can look past what divides us in our times today.”
He emphasized that being unified is necessary to make generational changes to keep Dr. King’s dream alive.
“We have to dream again together,” Rev. King said.
“Let’s not forget the dream, let’s put it into action,” he added.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is officially observed on the third Monday in January as a national day of service. Dr. King was born Jan. 15, 1929. He would have turned 94 this month.