Today Americans made Martin Luther King Jr. proud by unveiling his memorial with a few key historical moments that King fought for. He spent his life fighting for equality and rights and while the U.S. is lagging on a few issues, there has been significant progress since his death.
Thousands gathered at the National Mall to celebrate the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial that had been postponed due to an unusual earthquake and hurricane. Between President Barack Obama’s speech that was lined with politics and Jesse Jackson’s address to the “Occupy” protests, it seems the King Memorial will have a lasting impact on Americans.
Here are the three key moments from the dedication ceremony:
President Obama Delivers Speech
The King memorial was graced by the first black president speaking at his memorial dedication. President Obama’s speech was so powerful simply because he was able to do so from the results of King’s fight for equality. Although the president acknowledged the accomplishments, he also reminded Americans that King’s work is not done and that we need to keep fighting for our struggling communities.
Jesse Jackson Calls for Nonviolent Protests
In honor of King’s work, Jackson made a call to American’s to continue King’s progress by keeping peaceful protests. King believed in making a point without resorting to violence which is a critical point as “Occupy” protests are beginning to get out of hand with massive arrests in Chicago and other cities.
Impact of Memorial Dedication on Election
President Obama used his speech to address some of the economic issues facing America today. He drew comparisons between problems in King’s time and the present and urged American’s to fight through the struggle. He noted how we still have slums, jobless claims and inequality, and preached how we need to stand up for what is right no matter how tough the subject matter.
Obama’s encouraging words were received with chants for “four more years” adding a twist to the latest presidential election saga. This dedication may just be what Obama needs to gain favor with American’s after they have struggled to see change from his first term.