According to the history of Washington monuments, the National Memorial in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was completed with lightning speed and that by itself is a tribute to the quality of the man: his life, his work and his accomplishments. Notwithstanding, though he never held political or elective office; he was not the traditional celebrity; nor was he molded in the footsteps of the rich and the famous. But he was rich and famous in his service to his fellow man; many came to hear him speak; and when he dreamed, he dreamt of a world of peace and understanding among men (and women) – peace, “not just the absence of war,” he would say, “but the presence of justice.” That is the King that is being immortalized in Washington, D.C on August 28, 2011.
The National Memorial is located on a four-acre site that is situated adjacent to the FDR Memorial, and in a direct line between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. Congress passed a Joint Resolution in 1996 authorizing Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. to establish a Memorial in Washington, D.C. honoring Dr. King, who will be standing literally as a King among men (presidents).
As the project began to unfold, its magnitude created many bumps in the road, but as Dr. King would say, “You can disagree without becoming disagreeable.” Those bumps were smoothened out as time went by. Though much significance can be attributed to the unveiling of the Dr. King National Memorial on the 48th anniversary of his historic March on Washington, one thing is certain: looking at the events of today, though some progress has been made, ‘the Dream Is Still Unfulfilled.’
McKissack & McKissack, the oldest minority-owned architecture firm in the country, headed up the design team that consisted of construction, architect and building entities. The centerpiece of the memorial is a three-story high sculpture of Dr. King that is made of granite symbolically reflected the character of the man – unyielding, enduring and steadfast. There are walls around the memorial on which selected portions of Dr. King’s speeches and sermons are etched. Those selections were chosen by a group of historians including Maya Angelou, Cornel West, the late John Hope Franklin and Henry Louis Gates.
The controversy over the choice of a Chinese sculptor was one of the bumps in the road and Martin Luther King III seemed to have mitigated that by saying that he’s seen “probably 50 sculptures of my dad, and [I] would say 47 of them are not good reflections” but that “this particular artist – he’s done a good job.” And it appeared that the focus on getting the memorial completed in a timely manner, overcame any and all squabbling.
THE CELEBRATION AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE
The August-28 dedication coincides with the 48th anniversary of Dr. King's historic March on Washington and his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Dr. King’s protégés, VIPs celebrities and top entertainers are scheduled to participate in the dedication ceremonies. Beginning with President Barack Obama, he will deliver remarks and it is significant to note that he has come the furthest in the march of progress that Dr. King dreamt about.
Those who walked and worked with Dr. King will be Congressman John Lewis; Ambassador Andrew Young; Rev. Jesse Jackson; Rev. Joseph Lowery; Julian Bond and Dr. King’s children: Martin Luther King III, Dexter King and Bernice King.
VIPs and celebrities include Berry Gordy Jr. Clarence Avant, Rev. Al Sharpton, General Colin Powell, Alexis Hermann, Maya Angelou, Myrlie Evers, Vernon Jordan, Russell Simmons, Tom Brokaw, Alpha Phi Alpha chairman, Herman “Skip” Mason Jr.; members of the faith-based community, Chairman of General Motors, Dan Akerson; Tommy Hilfiger and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, whose department oversees memorials and national parks.
Entertainers include Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx, Michael Baisden, Tom Joyner, George Lucas and many others.
The men, women children who witness the dedication will be witness bearers to the work of Dr. King. Many present had marched with Dr. King; had been to jail with him; had withstood the barbs and insults that he endured; and championed the cause of a King national holiday including Stevie Wonder who penned a tune, “Happy Birthday,” in honor of the his birthday-holiday.
For the children present, Dr. King has allowed most of them an improved measure of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness than he had. And to be able to be much more than they could have been had he not lived the life that he did.
WHAT WOULD DR. KING SAY?
In looking at the legacy that Dr. King left, his words in 1967 – April 4 – would be appropriate today substituting Vietnam with Iraq and/or Afghanistan and/or Libya – the dream is still unfulfilled. There are striking parallels between causes and effects of the 21st century wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya, and the 20th century war in Vietnam; and it is only fitting to highlight those predictions of yesterday with the rhetoric and the actions of today.
Projections and predictions for the future are often based on the experiences of the past – for the good and also for the bad.
In a part of Dr. King’s 1967 speech, he exhorted: “For nine years following 1945 we denied the people of Vietnam the right of independence. For nine years we vigorously supported the French in their abortive effort to re-colonize Vietnam.
“…Before the end of the war we were meeting eighty percent of the French war costs. Even before the French were defeated at Dien Bien Phu, they began to despair of the reckless action, but we did not. We encouraged them with our huge financial and military supplies to continue the war even after they had lost the will. Soon we would be paying almost the full costs of this tragic attempt at re-colonization…”
It appeared that the American-French alliance has never weakened or waivered in aggressing upon non-European nations: Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya; all at the expense of a ruinous financial toll for military supplies, and human suffering, as Dr. King noted about Vietnam.
Further on Dr. King continued, “… The only change came from America as we increased our troop commitments in support of governments which were singularly corrupt, inept and without popular support. All the while the people read our leaflets and received regular promises of peace and democracy -- and land reform. Now they languish under our bombs and consider us -- not their fellow Vietnamese --the real enemy. They move sadly and apathetically as we herd them off the land of their fathers into concentration camps where minimal social needs are rarely met. They know they must move or be destroyed by our bombs. So they go -- primarily women and children and the aged….”
SPONSORS
The General Motors Foundation and Chevrolet will serve as the Dedication Chair and Dedication Co-Chair is The Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation. Dedication Vice Chairs include Aetna, Boeing, BP, Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, GE McDonalds, Travelers, and Wal-Mart Stores.
Major donors include: General Motors, Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, NBA,
The Walt Disney Company, Coca-Cola Foundation, The Ford Motor Company Fund, MetLife Foundation, Toyota, Verizon Foundation.
COMMENTS FROM SOME WHO KNEW DR. KING AND THE REST, MOST CERTAINLY, KNEW ABOUT HIM.
REV. JESSE JACKSON: “Dr. King was a source of inspiration. Blacks in the South, under the laws of oppressive segregation, were held down by fear; so he had to inspire them to choose hope over fear. Blacks in the North and in the West, it wasn’t so much fear as it was cynicism: the belief that we could not win. Many Blacks went North and West where there was a little more dignity than the Southern oppression; they were free but not equal. Dr. Kings mission was to change the law. It was a struggle to end (unjust) law. But it was also to take our consciousness beyond just legal oppression to economic justice. Many of our freedom allies would not be our economic allies. Dr. King last campaign was to end the war in Vietnam and a war on poverty; and that’s where we are today.”
REP. EMANUEL CLEAVER: “No African American alive would ever believe that the final monument on the mall would be that of Martin Luther King Jr. We, of course, realize that Dr. King is now serving as a reminder to all of us that we must remain vigilant on issues of justice, and his monument, the statue that is now on the mall is a reminder. He’s looking across the city and across the nation … when you look at the sculpture depicting him and the appearance of his facial expression is very serious. I’m looking at you guys … stay on the job and do the right thing.”
XERNONA CLAYTON: “Dr. King was such an usual man … a real man, in that he was honest and truthful to his convictions. He felt that he never wanted any monument, any honor, or anything bestowed or directed to him, personally. If he was here and we needed his approval to have this, we would never have this monument. But we have to keep in mind that this was a man who … when he got the Nobel (Peace) Prize, and got a monetary attachment with it, he gave it all away. He was unselfish … a selfless man who cared more about everybody else than himself.
REV. JOSEPH LOWERY: “I think it’s a great honor for Dr. King and for the nation. I think he belong in that environment on the mall because I consider him to be one of the fathers of the nation … having led the nation to a new era of racial justice in his lifetime.”
REV. JAMES LAWSON: “I have mixed feelings about the event, though I look forward to being there. We have built a monument to a dead hero, and dead heroes are easier to take than live advocates of truth and justice are tolerated. I see it as a historical moment to be more tactful and powerful than any of us understand. King was the Moses of the 20th century for Western civilization; he was a Jesus figure of the 20th century. His voice was the major voice many people around the world heard, and listen for, and by 1967, in the United States, 90 something percent of us Black people said, ‘he speaks for me.’ That has never happened in the history of humankind except for people like (Mahatma) Gandhi of India, and Nelson Mandela of South Africa. But unless Black people, Hispanics and people of goodwill, and women in the United States can really recover that story; we are not going to move to confront our nation, with its obligation to continue this journey.”
DR. MERVYN M. DYMALLY: “As fiery as he was in public life I found him, in private, to be a quiet, modest and unassuming person. It was my dubious experience to be the last person to drive him from LAX to Anaheim (Orange County) for a meeting for the liberal California Democratic Council, during my tenure as State Senator. This experience was a major high point in my political career.”
GWEN GREEN (In reading a letter she received by those who are putting on the dedication). Ms. Green, it was a pleasure speaking with you today as you would join us in the nation’s capital for this important dedication. We recognized the significance contribution that you’ve made in civil rights struggle and considered an honor to host you. “It is very significant for the first time we have a Black person on the mall with all the White presidents.”
BEN JEALOUS: “This is an historic moment in civil rights and American history,” stated President Jealous. “I look forward to honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King on the eve of the unveiling of his national memorial. The work of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is not over. The civil rights community must ensure that his dream becomes a reality”.
JULIANNE MALVEAUX: So even as a statue opens to the public, doors close to too many Americans. Even as people throng to celebrate, there are those who are supportive, but who have had nothing to celebrate in a long time. The debt ceiling has imposed a particular ugliness on the current climate. As cities gird up for fall and winter, they are grappling with the reality that many will be unable to pay for utilities, and have the possibility of freezing this winter. Some were buttressed by federal funds, funds that must be cut. Similarly, there are cities where there is vacant housing and also homelessness. Why not put some of the homeless into vacant homes. Banks are often special villains, chasing profit and repelling the people whose dollars have inflated their bottom line. While (Harry) Johnson’s dream has been realized, Dr. King’s dream for economic justice, which means economic restructuring, remains deferred. This is a dichotomy, and also a tragedy.
DIANE E. WATSON: “It is a monument to justice. He will be the first African American on the mall and that really marks a turning point for America. We have an African America president because of Martin Luther King. It is the case where he got to the consciousness of America. So rather than judge the person by the color (of their skin) as Martin Luther King spoke, they judged him by the content. And so Martin Luther King has a place in the history of the world because he came and saw that civil rights were given to all in this country, the number one country on the globe.”
WILLIS EDWARDS: “The establishment of this memorial is historic in that our nation’s capitol will now include an African American who has been acclaimed as a peacemaker worldwide. This memorial recognizes the life themes characterized in all of Dr. King’s speeches of justice, democracy, hope, and love. His life and this memorial should inspire all of us to be committed to positive change and active citizenship.”
LEON JENKINS: “It’s been a long time in the making but it’s a sure sign that America understands the importance of Dr. King’s contributions to the lives of every American. He helped change the face of what America looked like in the corporate room, in the boardroom, in politics, and socially.”
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS (CBC): “America has changed dramatically in the past five decades. For people under 50, it is hard for many to imagine life in the 1950's and 60's as compared to the America of 2011. Segregated housing, transportation, restrooms, theaters, and restaurants, coupled with the physical presence of racism, and sexism, religious intolerance and painful accusations of communism are all part of the dark past of America's recent history. The magnitude of how the Civil Rights movement changed America is truly remarkable and is perhaps without precedent in modern history. Dr. King's contributions to the changes of the last 50 years highlights the work of many who sacrificed and challenged America to reflect the practices in the words of the founding fathers.”
MYRLIE EVERS-WILLIAMS: “I am honored to be a part of this historic occasion, for the Dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. The honoring of this Great American Hero also inspires us to remember the Great Heroes and Sheroes of the Civil Rights Movement. Through the Civil Rights Movement, America has seen many positive changes in this ongoing struggle for Equal Opportunity and Justice. The Vision statement for this memorial dedicates the memorial to the Tenants of Dr. King’s American Dream of Freedom, Democracy, and Opportunity for all. There remains so much to be done to achieve this Dream for all American citizens. We have a responsibility to enhance the Legacy of Dr. King and the many other Civil Rights leaders who gave their lives, by being activist citizens on behalf of all, but especially those who are less fortunate. We have to Guard the Freedoms and Democracy that Dr. King lived and died for. It is imperative that the history of the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King and his great work be transferred to our next generations.”
ELAINE EASON STEELE: “Rosa Parks would be just as excited as the rest of the country at the great honor being bestowed on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a leader and role model for social justice. Dr. King’s philosophy is more important today because of the mobilization to turn the clock back to the 1950’s. When Rosa Parks’ arrest on Dec 1, 1955 lead to the successful 381 Day Montgomery Bus Boycott, thrust a 26-year old Montgomery, AL. pastor into national prominence. The rest is history.”
ROBERT “BOB” FARRELL: “ It is important to me for two reasons. Number one: to see the acknowledgement of a man who deserves all the contributions and praise and tributes that are due our own heroes, at the same time, I view it as something that represents the collective ‘us’, because at a point, it’s not just Martin Luther King, Jr., the man, it’s the movement he led that made us proud. And he worked his way to the top, he won our collaboration and our cooperation, regardless of the different bases from which we came in the struggle, and it is most appropriate that this American hero has such a dedicated statue right there in the center of our American government.”
DR. MARK PERRAULT: “He was a brilliant, dedicated community servant known especially for his ideas regarding non-violence and he also had a unique visionary intellectual quality built into his DNA.”
MARC H. MORIAL: “National Mall on Sunday is not just a historic occasion for African-Americans, but a milepost on the nation's journey to social justice. My own emotions are touched on so many levels—pride as an African-American, as a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity—King's own fraternity and the organization that has driven the project from the beginning, as the leader of a national civil rights and economic empowerment organization, but mostly as an American. For all the mistakes that have been made attempting to carry out the principles outlined by the Founding Fathers, the principles themselves endure: All men—and let us not forget to include women—are created equal, and are endowed by their creator with inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Perhaps more than anyone in American history, Dr. King embodied that ideal.”
THE DEDICATION WILL BE CARRIED LIVE ON MSNBC AND CNN
No comments:
Post a Comment