Tomorrow marks the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He would be 95 years old if he were still alive today.
The celebration of Dr. King’s life is not partisan, and in recent years, King has become a hero to most Americans.
In his own lifetime — and well after it — he was a controversial figure, however. This past week, while researching local MLK Day events, I stumbled across a disturbing photograph of a Giles County man celebrating King’s assassination… in 1990. The defacement of church signs in Columbia this past year is a reminder that there is still a racist element at the fringes of our community.
The reason why Dr. King was hated by some Americans is simple — he made change. This year we celebrate also the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act. Though these laws are under attack from activist judges, our country is a better place because of them.
Dr. King spoke for peace, and for workers. Peace and workers still need to be spoken for today.
Let us not forget this as we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday tomorrow. While many of our local events (including ones in Pulaski and Lewisburg) have been canceled due to the wintry weather expected tonight, I still hope to attend an NAACP event at 9 a.m. tomorrow at St. Paul’s A.M.E. Church in Columbia. And I hope to see you there!