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Martin Lu
Holiday Declared:
W ith resolution and eloquence, D r M artin Luther King Jr. stirred
people around the globe to action. He dedicated his life to ending the
oppression o f racism, and his vision o f a nation dnven by love instead
o f hate changed our world forever. W e are all the beneficiaries o f his
legacy, and we are aU grateful.
Dr. King taught that the goals ofci vilnghts are not merely the goals
o f any specific group - they are the goals o f our Nation. To give people
opportunity, to Beat them with fairness, and to distinguish them only by
their potential - we will continue to work toward these goals as long as
people in this Nation are in need o f housing, medical care, and
subsistence We will continue to work as long as neighborhoods are
ravaged by drugs and violence We will continue to work as long as any
person, because o f circumstance o f birth, is granted anything less than
the full measure o f his or her dignity
Three decades have passed since D r King stood in front o f the
Lincoln Memorial and told the world o f his dream fo ra future in which
children are judged “not by the color o f their skin, but by the content o f
their character.” Today, with an entire generation o f voting Americans
w hodid not witness firsthand the great ci vilnghts victories o f the 1960s,
it is more important than ever to remind the Nation about Dr. King and
his inestimable gifts to this country, so that all o f us continue to grow in
our commitment to justice and equality.
This year, the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is celebrated with a
national day o f service, a call tojoin together in purpose and care for one
another. On thisoccasion. I urge thecitizensofthis great country toreflect
upon Dr. King’steachings, and to take positive and life-affirming action
in his memory. Give back to your community, help the homeless, feed
the hungry, attend to the sick, give to the needy. In whatever way you
choose to serve the public good, do something to m ake life better for the
people around you. A s Dr. King said on many occasions, “L ife’s most
Music and guests speakers highlight the Martin Luther King Elementary
commemoration assembly in honor of the school’s namesake. Performing
the Scottish bagpipes is Dean Forbes, a retired school district employee.
Assembled students at Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at King
school hear former Trail Blazer Kermit Washington discuss his recent
humanitarian mission to Rwanda.
(Photos by Donn Thomas)
These young men of
Portland House of Umaja,
have written a tribute to
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
hkkuk
persistent and urgent question is, 'W h a t are you doing for others?’
I William J. Clinton, President o f the United States o f America,
do hereby proclaim Jan. 16,1995 a s the Martin Luther King Jr Federal
Holiday.
« ix w n oM fob
« ommxment of colored f k f u
NAACP
P O R T L A N D.
OREGON
BRANCH
Celebrating his 66th birthday...
The Portland Branch NAACP salutes Dr. King and his dream.
ShaRee Rhone, Branch President
What Martin Luther King Meant To Me
W h en M artin L u th e r K in g sto o d on th e m o u n tain to p he h ad a
v isio n th at o n e day b la c k m en an d w h ite m en c o u ld jo in in u n ity . H e h ad
a d re a m th at w e c o u ld live to g e th e r in p eace. B u t b ack th e n a lo t o f p e o p le
d id n ’t b e lie v e th a t M a rtin L u th e r K in g co u ld fu lfill h is d ream , b u t
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th ro u g h it all M artin sh o w ed ev e ry o n e th a t h e w as a s o ld ie r, b ec a u se
ev en th o u g h th e y p u t h im in ja il o r h u rt him h e still sto o d u p fo r w h at
h e b e lie v e d in, as a m an , an d a so ld ie r. T h e re a so n I feel h e w a s a so ld ie r
is b ec a u se w h en he w as k n o c k e d d o w n he g o t b a c k up a n d k e p t fig h tin g
a s a m an , n o t as a g a n g ste r o r h u stler. H e w as a m an o f d ig n ity a n d p rid e
a n d he w as a n o n -v io le n t lead e r, ev en th o u g h he n ev er liv ed lo n g en o u g h
to see th e d iffe re n c e h e m ad e in th is w o rld , I feel he w o u ld h av e b een
ÜHOIS
p ro u d . E v en th o u g h th e y k ille d him th e y n e v e r to o k w h at h e b e lie v e d in
aw ay fro m him .
—Dimitaius Price
D r. M a rtin L u th er K in g Jr. w as b o m o n Jan u a ry 15, 1929 an d d ied o n A u g u st 2 8 , 1963. M a rtin L u th er
K ing had a d ream o f racial ju s tic e a n d h u m an b ro th e rh o o d in th e U n ite d S tates, a n d o f p e a c e th ro u g h o u t
the w o rld . H e h ad a d re a m o f h o w n o n v io le n c e , lo v e an d c o u ra g e co u ld triu m p h o v e r hate an d b ru ta l force.
I am w ritin g a b o u t a d re a m e r an d h is d re a m , an d o f th e life he d e d ic a te d an d u ltim ately sa c rific e d to try to
m ak e the d re a m a liv in g re ality fo r us all.
M artin L u th er K in g ta u g h t m e to re sp e c t o th e rs ev en i f th ey d o n ’t resp ect you.
—Rashell Holloway
Free At Last, Free At Last
U m o ja m ean s un ity an d M a rtin L u th e r K in g , Jr. w an ted b la c k s an d w h ites to c o m e to g e th e r fo r unity.
M artin L u th er K in g w as a b la c k le a d e r an d b la c k p e o p le w ere d o n e w ro n g b ack th en . E v en th o u g h M r. K in g
w as b lack , w h ite p e o p le also lo v ed h im for a lead e r an d fo r w h o he w as a n d n o t o v e r co lo r. M r. K in g w as
also g o o d fo r talk in g an d sp eech es. W h en M r. K in g m ad e th e sp e e c h 1 H av e A D ream , th at m a d e a d iffe re n c e
all over. H e a lso w as g o o d fo r th e m o u n tain to p an d to m ak e a d iffe re n c e . M r. K in g w as a stro n g m an, he
w as stro n g in ta lk in g n o t by fig h tin g a n d sh o o tin g . M r. K in g had g o o d th o u g h ts fo r th e b la c k s a n d w h ites
he w as a m an th at stay ed to h is w o rd b u t h is w o rd s w as to o stro n g . M r. K in g w as to o k o u t b y a b u lle t M r.
K ing had a fam ily , h e w as ta k e n aw ay fro m his fam ily on A u g u st 2 8 th , 1963. H e w as p u t o n th is w o rld for
a reason to m ak e a c h a n g e an d h e m a d e h is p o in t an d th e lo rd m u st h av e th o u g h t his w o rk w as d o n e a n d k n ew
that he had m a d e a ch an g e. M r. K in g w ill be m issed an d th o u g h t o f by m any p e o p le an d his h a rd w o rk w ill
be rem em b ered .
O p e n ey es Ja n u a ry 15th, 1939
C lo se d ey e s A u g u st 2 8 th , 1963
--Allen J. Collins
M artin L u th er K ing, Jr., o n e o f th e m o st in flu en tial
lead e rs in th e civ il rig h ts m o v em en t, w as b o m in A tlan ta,
“The straitjacket of race prejudice and discrimination do not wear only
Southern labels. The subtle, psychological technique o f the North has
approached in its ugliness and victimization o f the Negro the outright
terror and open brutality o f the South. ”
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
G eo rg ia, on Jan u a ry 15, 1929.
H is fath er, g ra n d fa th e r an d g re a t g ra n d fa th e r w ere all
p reach ers. A t ag e 15 K in g e n te re d M o re h o u se C o lle g e in
A tlanta, h e re c e iv e d a d o c to r o f p h ilo so p h y d e g re e from
B o sto n U n iv ersity .
A t ag e 25 , K in g b ecam e p a sto r o f th e D e x te r A v en u e
B ap tist ch u rch in M o n tg o m ery , A lab am a.
K ing beg an g ettin g in v o lv ed w ith th e fight fo r civ il rig h ts
b ecau se he w as d e e p ly c o n c e rn e d w ith th e c o n d itio n s o f th e
black p eo p le.
D r K in g tau g h t m e h o w to be to le ra n t o fo th e r p eo p le. H e
really p ra c tic e d w h at he p re ach ed
--Ahmad Stevens
“Happy Birthday
Dr. King”
)
»
-Marcus Branch,
Outreach Coordinator
Specializing In Perms & Hairweaving
6626 NE 23rd (bewteen Liberty & Dekum)
Portland, OR 97211-5363
(503)281-9052
OPEN: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday
)