The Dream Is Still Alive

Washington, D.C. – Congressman William Lacy Clay

Thousands attended the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C.  The site features a 30-foot-tall statue of Dr. King, the first Afircan-American honored with his own memorial on the National Mall.  President Barack Obama spoke, Aretha Franklin sang, and Dr. King’s daughter, Bernice, reflected on her father’s legacy.

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Weeks before the dedication, Missouri Congressman Lacy Clay toured the site.  He shared his thoughts about Dr. King and his impact on the entire nation.

On this day sixteen years ago the Million Man March was held advocating unity, atonement and brotherhood on the grounds of the National Mall. Now today thousands gather on the same grounds to honor and dedicate a stone Monument to a Man who represented and stood for the same concepts.

The Martin Luther King Dedication Ceremonies that were postponed August 28, 2011 due to extreme weather got underway October 16th at 8a.m. With Morning Joy, hosted by Roland Martin, the hour was filled with video tributes of King and live performances by The DuPont Diversity Choir, The Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church Choir and Shirley Murdock. Rabi Israel Dresner dubbed the most arrested man in America spoke of being one of the freedom riders and marching with King.

In speaking with Dedication attendee Loesther Foley who not only attended college during the years of the Lunch counter sit-ins, but was also the principle at Thomas Scalan Elementary school where Mamie Till Mogely, the Mother of the slain Emmett Till taught 4th grade. Mrs. Foley spoke of how she was happy to attend an event to honor “the memory of a great man that will live on for eternity”.

As the day pushed into the nine o’ clock hour speakers Julian Vaughn, Dan Rather, Jessie Jackson, Kings Family and more spoke highly of Martin Luther King, all agreeing in their individual speeches that King would be very appreciative for the Monument, but was very clear in saying that King wouldn’t want you to get caught up in the brand of who he was but to live, love and care that way he did. As stated by Kings son. Ambassador Andrew young eloquently stated, “He would be the first to tell you he didn’t give his life for a statue, he gave his life for the least of these” when speaking of Kings humble demeanor.

Many speakers focused on Dr. King being a leader who laid the foundation and gave clear direction for the generations that came after,  in continuing the fight for justice.  Diane Carole compared King to Moses in saying, “Even Moses didn’t make it to the promise land, his purpose was to show the way and it was the same with King.”

This echoed the thoughts of Marian Wright Edelman who stated “Dr. King isn’t coming back he told us what to do lets honor him by doing it.

President Barak Obama was the last to speak, clearly emotional at times he spoke of how the day was not going to being denied as we celebrate King’s return to the national mall.

“Progress is hard, progress was made through the smack of billy clubs” he stated as he spoke of the many protest and sit-ins  Dr. King  and African American alike endure for the freedom we enjoy today.  Through-out the dedication the one message that was emphasized by all was that although America has shown growth with the first African American and non president to have a monument erected on the National Mall, the fight is not over and Kings work is not yet complete. Joseph Lowery who marched with King put it best when he said “We marched too long, prayed too hard, bleed too profusely, to turn back now.