By Jess Gonzalez
January 13, 2024 – He had a dream. A dream that yearned for the basic of human necessities that were missing and urgently in need of being rectified for Blacks in American society: the lack of equality, justice, liberty, opportunity, and freedom–among other things. Yet, his dream went beyond.
In his heart as a father, his dream also focused on wanting his children—and surely all Black children–one day be allowed to live in a nation where they would “not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
In so many ways his was a much needed, all-inclusive, well-meaning, and beautiful dream. But as the target of an assassin’s bullet, his life was cut short in abrupt manner before he could see his cherished dream flourish.
Yet, his dream did not die. It lives on today throughout our country and the world, though–as we all know–its’ complete realization is still somewhere beyond the horizon.
Our Clovis and Central California community joined the rest of the country and the world this past weekend in celebrating the anniversary of the January 15, 1929, birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
The 19th Annual Community Breakfast in honor of Dr. King was celebrated at the California Health Science University in Clovis on Saturday, January 15th. A vast, diverse, and enthusiastic crowd came together for the event that featured Dr. Kim E. Armstrong, the third president of the university, as the keynote speaker.
The event, hosted by the Clovis Police Department in participation with The Fresno MLK Unity Committee, was one of 11 events celebrated over the weekend in our Central California community to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King.
This marked the 40th year that events in honor of Dr. King have been celebrated in Central California.
Dr. Armstrong’s keynote speech
In her keynote speech, Dr. Armstrong utilized a video presentation that featured a variety of civil rights pictures to inform and draw attention to key points that took place in the civil rights movement under the leadership of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders.
Among the leaders mentioned were members of her own family who personally collaborated with Dr. King in the civil rights struggle. Dr. Armstrong also noted her personal participation in the still on-going fight for civil rights.
Among the many points alluded to by Dr. Armstrong was the struggle that ensued to make Dr. King’s birthday a national holiday. It took 15 years to be approved by the federal government and an additional 17 years to be recognized as a legal holiday in all 50 states.
The first state to recognize it was Illinois in September 1973. The last was Arizona; officially honoring it in 1993.
Dr. Armstrong noted that even today, there is resistance to celebrating the January 15th date as a holiday solely for Dr. King.
Mississippi and Alabama both mark the date as King-Lee Day in honor of both Dr. King and Confederate General Robert E. Lee who led Southern states in their fight to preserve slavery after Blacks were proclaimed to be free by President Abraham Lincoln.
Recalling Dr. King’s civil rights struggle Throughout his struggle to gain civil rights for Blacks in our country, Dr. King stood for non-violent protests and utilized civil disobedience in his efforts to end discrimination and racial segregation in the 1950s and 1960s.
Dr. King was assassinated on Abril 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, while standing on a balcony of a motel. He was in Memphis to speak about his Poor People’s Campaign and to support Black sanitation workers in their strike against low pay and poor treatment by the City of Memphis.
Community Breakfast Program Various area dignitaries and community leaders were on hand for the Community Breakfast — including Clovis Mayor Lynne Ashbeck and Clovis Police Chief Curt Fleming.
The Police Chief welcomed attendees and presented Dr. Sudarshan Kapoor, a M.L.K. Unity Committee Founding Member, and Gail Gaston, committee chair, with a special recognition for their long-time and outstanding service to the committee.
Police Chief Fleming also called for a moment of silence for George Rodriguez, long time committee member who passed away last week.
The program included a variety of events including the playing and singing by all present of Stevie Wonder’s Happy Birthday song which the popular recording artist wrote and recorded as a special tribute to Dr. King in anticipation of his birthday being approved as a national holiday.
An edited video recitation of the “I Have A Dream” speech–given by Dr. King during the historic March On Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963—moved the attendees to a silence of respect. The video featured children and members of our community taking turns reciting parts of the highly praised and much admired speech.
Moving civil rights music performances were provided by the Fresno Component Music Workshop of America.
In his own words…Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Over the times of his many struggles to bring about civil rights for one and all in our country, Dr. King was quoted repeatedly for his words that touched on every aspect of our human experience and the plight of a people long enslaved, mistreated, denied basic human rights and opportunity, as well as equality in all areas of life.
His words were not only eloquent, but they also went and continue to go to the root of problems and what is needed to bring about positive change in our world.
Among them were: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” “A right delayed is a right denied.,” “Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.” “This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.” “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’