The Washington Standard
By Richard Mack
The ‘I Have A Dream’ speech by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King will live on for many years in the public consciousness, and for good reason: This speech – delivered on August 28, 1963 – creates a powerful vision of a world where all people are treated as equals, and has been an inspiration to millions. However, it was not just this speech but his huge body of work that made him a significant figure in American history. And as he lived for nearly five years after proclaiming ‘I Have A Dream,’ this alone was likely not the thing that got him killed. There was another speech – given almost four years later on April 4, 1967, at the Riverside Church in New York City and exactly one year to the day before his assassination – that may hold that distinctive honor. His closest friends and staff called this his finest and most powerful speech, but it was also his most controversial. It’s known today as the ‘Beyond Vietnam’ speech.
It was 15 years after his assassination in 1983 that President Ronald Reagan signed legislation proclaiming Martin Luther King Day a Federal holiday, and another 17 years until it was recognized by all 50 states. Schools, banks and all government offices close the third Monday of each January as we honor the memory and message of Dr. King. This holiday is unique for several reasons. For one, it was the first Federal holiday named after a specific person (although some states refer to it as ‘Civil Rights Day’, Wyoming calls it ‘Wyoming Equality Day’ and Alabama and Mississippi – in an act of pure passive-aggressive defiance – have combined it with their celebration of the famed Confederate Civil War general Robert E. Lee. Secondly, the legislation for MLK day designates it as “a day on, not a day off.” It is intended to be a day of remembrance and activism, and Americans are encouraged to find common causes and methods of improving their communities.
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