Closer to realizing a dreamResidents:
Obama's election a reflection of King's hopes
By HOWARD DUKESTribune Staff Writer Martin Luther King Jr. used what has come to be known as the "Fun Town Story" to show people how discrimination put physical and mental limits on black children. Fun Town was an amusement park in Atlanta during the time that King was the pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church. One of his daughters wanted to go to Fun Town, but the park had a whites-only policy. King had the painful duty of explaining to his daughter why she couldn't go to the amusement park.
"Closer to realizing a dream"
That kind of legal segregation is a thing of the past in large part because of the efforts of King and others involved in the civil rights movement. On Tuesday — the day after the national holiday established to celebrate King's birthday — America will take a major step in realizing the dream of the slain civil rights leader when Barack Obama is sworn in as president of the United States.
"Closer to realizing a dream"
That kind of legal segregation is a thing of the past in large part because of the efforts of King and others involved in the civil rights movement. On Tuesday — the day after the national holiday established to celebrate King's birthday — America will take a major step in realizing the dream of the slain civil rights leader when Barack Obama is sworn in as president of the United States.
NEWS - USA - NEW PRESIDENT
ResponderEliminarCloser to realizing a dreamResidents:
Obama's election a reflection of King's hopes
By HOWARD DUKESTribune Staff Writer
Martin Luther King Jr. used what has come to be known as the "Fun Town Story" to show people how discrimination put physical and mental limits on black children. Fun Town was an amusement park in Atlanta during the time that King was the pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church. One of his daughters wanted to go to Fun Town, but the park had a whites-only policy. King had the painful duty of explaining to his daughter why she couldn't go to the amusement park.
"Closer to realizing a dream"
That kind of legal segregation is a thing of the past in large part because of the efforts of King and others involved in the civil rights movement. On Tuesday — the day after the national holiday established to celebrate King's birthday — America will take a major step in realizing the dream of the slain civil rights leader when Barack Obama is sworn in as president of the United States.
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Creating a better nation for future generations motivated King and the other people involved in the movement.So the words that Olivia Bowers, an eighth- grade student at Trinity School at Greenlawn, spoke about Obama's inauguration would likely please King as much as seeing the soon-to- be 44th president take the oath of office."It makes me feel like there are no boundaries for a person now," Olivia said Thursday while taking a break from her after- school activities at the Robinson Community Learning Center in South Bend. "It makes me think that I can be anything I want to be."I can be the next black lady to do open heart surgery or something like that."Cambrin Dixon, a fifth-grader at Edison Intermediate School in South Bend, also said Obama's inauguration is a realization of King's dream.
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"He wanted black and white people to treat each other like equals and to not just look at the outside," Cambrin said. Dreshawn Hannah, an eighth-grade student at Edison Intermediate School, said King would be happy that Obama is in a position to help make the world a better place. Lia Beatty, a fourth-grader at Kennedy Academy, also sees Obama's election as continuing what King started. "I think it's like Obama is another Martin Luther King because he finished what Martin Luther King wanted to do," Lia said. Tiana Mudzimurema, third-grader at McKinley Primary Center in South Bend, agreed."I think that Martin Luther King and Obama are kind of alike because they both want to help make the world a better place," Tiana said.Katlyn Josway, an Indiana University South Bend student and member of the school's Civil Rights Heritage Center, said creating what King called the beloved community was a key part of his dream for America and the world. On Friday, several members of the group met at the home of IUSB professor Monica Tetzlaff to finalize the group's activities to mark the community wide King day celebration at the Century Center. "That's something that was heard throughout the movement that all humans can come together," said Josway of South Bend. "And with Obama's election, I feel that we are a step closer to that beloved community."Josway recalled attending Obama campaign events during the primaries and general election. She said that the crowds were diverse.Derek Webb, of South Bend and another Civil Rights Heritage Center member, said he saw the same kind of diversity on display on election night in Chicago.Webb said he received hugs and hand shakes from people of all races on that night in Grant Park.Melanie Peters noted that the election of a president of African descent seemed impossible 40 years ago when the nation was still trying to recover from King's assassination."Somebody interviewed the grandchildren of slaves, and they said that they never thought that this would happen," Peters, of South Bend, said. "So I feel (Obama's election) is a partial realization of Dr. King's dream."A little more than 40 years ago we were still having people go to different restaurants and drink out of different water fountains."Thursday morning probably felt like an off day at Charles Jackson's barbershop. Frigid temperatures kept early customers away.Jackson sat in a barber chair and wondered what King would be thinking if he were alive."He'd be proud of everybody coming together after they see the wrong in the world and trying to get it fixed up," Jackson said.Cassopolis resident Charles Stewart agreed."I believe it represents his dream because his dream was for us to be equal with one another," Stewart said.
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Joel Whitlock, another Civil Rights Heritage Center member, said he believes that Obama's election represents a realization of King's dreams."It's a partial realization, but a lot of work needs to be done," Whitlock said.Whitlock said the next step will come when people begin talking about racial issues."You can't change something without sitting up and talking about it," Whitlock said.Whitlock is doing what he can to encourage dialogue. He will hold a workshop that will show young people how to talk to and learn about people from different backgrounds. Webb noted that King shifting the movement's focus to issues of economic justice when he died, and that much still needs to be done to help those who are economically disadvantaged.
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"I think he would say that we have to take the next step of implementing efforts to bring about true racial and economic equality."