Remembering Dr. King

By Kevin Robinson in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 21, 2008 6:15PM

Born on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King would have been 79 this year. In 1984 an act of Congress made the third Monday of this month Martin Luther King Day. With most government offices closed today, there are a plethora of events honoring his memory. The Chicago Park District is holding a series of events dedicated to his legacy. The University of Chicago is hosting panels and speakers all week, with a series of films and documentaries this evening starting at 5 p.m. The DuSable Museum of African American History is holding workshops, performances and panel discussions on the legacy of the civil rights movement and the challenges it still faces in 21st century America. The Chicago History Museum kicks the day off with crafts and storytelling for children, followed by songs and spirituals performed by the Chicago Chamber Choir. At 1 p.m., LeRoyce Hawkins and Cameron Drake will perform Jeff Stetson's critically acclaimed "The Meeting", an imagined meeting between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, followed by a reading of King's "I have a Dream" speech.

Even if you can't make any of these events, today is still a great day to consider Dr. King's legacy and find ways to serve in your own community. In honor of one of modern America's great leaders, here's an excerpt of Dr. Kings final speech. He was assassinated the next day at a motel in Memphis, where he had gone to support striking sanitation workers.

For more in-depth information on Dr. King, check out MLKOnline, where you can also watch and hear his speeches in their entirety.