In memory of Dr. King: ‘a drum major for justice’

On Jan. 16, our nation observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in honor of the American civil rights leader, as well as Black History Month in February.

An advocate of nonviolent protest and the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, King was assassinated in Memphis in 1968 during his support of a sanitation workers strike. Shortly after his death, a campaign led by trade unions was started for his birthday to become a national holiday. With support from singer Stevie Wonder’s single, “Happy Birthday,” and a petition with six million signatures, the bill became law in 1983.

A King memorial on Washington’s National Mall opened to the public in August, after more than two decades of planning, fund raising and construction. A dedication ceremony scheduled for Aug. 28, 2011 – the 48th anniversary of the famous 1963 speech he delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial – was postponed until Oct. 16 due to Hurricane Irene. UAW members and labor activists from around the country attended the historic occasion.

Covering four acres, the 29-foot tall memorial’s stone centerpiece is based on King’s famous 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. One side of the stone is inscribed with these words: “Out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.” On the other side, it reads: “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness,” something King himself said when asked how he’d like to be remembered.

Jennifer John