The Multi-Cultural Business Committee took a trip back to 1963 Monday at the 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Business Reception — an event that celebrates the life, teaching and legacy of the Civil Rights leader.
Each year the committee invites the community to celebrate King’s global vision of the world, a wold whose people and nations have triumphed over poverty, racism, war and violence.
Monday’s demonstration, a look at King’s first arrest in Birmingham, Ala., focused on the letter the leader wrote as he sat in the jail in response to a statement made by eight white Alabama clergymen. King would go on to endure a life of harassment, threats, beatings and bombings. Following his Birmingham arrest, King was arrested 28 other times in his efforts to achieve freedom for others.
“Let’s go back in history,” Patty Cherry, co-chair of the Multi-Cultural Business Committee, said. “We will let you decide how far we’ve come with Martin’s dream.”
Narrated by Dr. Ted Thomas and including participation from a variety of community members, the presentation described King’s experience during his time in the Birmingham jail and a letter he wrote in response to eight clergymen agreeing on the social injustices taking place, but their pleas to fight the battle in the courtrooms and not on the streets.
While King agreed with the clergymen’s goals, he argued that without nonviolent forceful direct actions such as his, true civil rights could never be achieved. During this time, King wrote more than 7,000 words on newspaper, paper towels and toilet paper, just to get the point out that people were overlooking the cause.
Each year during the annual luncheon, the MLK Community Image Award is presented to deserving individuals who have made a contribution to the community that commits to a relationship of development towards King’s goal.
Earning the honor this year were Becky Spell Vann and the Rev. Willie Bowden Sr.
“Let us all strive to live by the dream Dr. King had,” Spell said after accepting the award.
Past recipients include Jim Matthews, Dr. Ted Thomas, Malachi Faison, Bill Scott, Rep. Larry Bell, Dr. Paul Viser, Dee Bryant, Jimmy Thornton, Ann Thornton, Maxine Harris, Jefferson Strickland, John Blanton, Mayor Lew Starling, Hazel Colwell, Tim Butler, Jeff Nethercutt and Star Communications, Edward Faison and the Rev. Randy Simmons.
The Multi-Cultural Committee celebrates the holiday each year to honor the courage of a man who endured a lot of obstacles on his journey to ecumenical solidarity. Even though King knew his actions would cost him, he kept marching and protesting.
According to Cherry, the luncheon allows people from all walks of life to mingle and enjoy each other’s company.
“This shows that society has come a long way in the more than 50 years since the Civil Right’s leader’s assassination,” Cherry noted. “It’s a wonderful thing, but much like the economy’s recovery, King’s dream isn’t completely fulfilled. We haven’t really lived up to what Dr. King wanted us to do yet. We’re improving every day, but we still have a long way to go.”
