Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made history on this day in 1963 delivering his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington. Tonight, another African-American will make history. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama will speak at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
Georgia Congressman John Lewis will also speak tonight. As a young civil rights leader, Lewis was one of 10 people who also spoke alongside Dr. King on this day 45 years ago. He is the only one of those men alive today. Lewis says it doesn’t bother him that Barack Obama is not a child of the movement he helped foster. In fact, he says, Obama is free of the battle scars left on he and those of his generation.
"He never saw the signs that said 'White Men,' 'Colored Men,' 'White Women,' 'Colored Women,' " Lewis adds. "He never tasted the fruits of segregation and racial discrimination, so he is a different human being. He should be free to liberate the rest of America, and maybe take a message to the rest of the world."
Still, Lewis says he would like to hear from Obama that this is not the end — or even a new beginning — but a continuation of a long struggle. Lewis says that all over his home state of Georgia, young people feel something is happening.
"And you hear people saying, 'I was not there with you to march across the bridge at Selma. I was not at the March on Washington. But I am in this struggle to make Barack Obama president."
Tonight Lewis will pay tribute to Dr. King.
(NPR)
Georgia Congressman John Lewis will also speak tonight. As a young civil rights leader, Lewis was one of 10 people who also spoke alongside Dr. King on this day 45 years ago. He is the only one of those men alive today. Lewis says it doesn’t bother him that Barack Obama is not a child of the movement he helped foster. In fact, he says, Obama is free of the battle scars left on he and those of his generation.
"He never saw the signs that said 'White Men,' 'Colored Men,' 'White Women,' 'Colored Women,' " Lewis adds. "He never tasted the fruits of segregation and racial discrimination, so he is a different human being. He should be free to liberate the rest of America, and maybe take a message to the rest of the world."
Still, Lewis says he would like to hear from Obama that this is not the end — or even a new beginning — but a continuation of a long struggle. Lewis says that all over his home state of Georgia, young people feel something is happening.
"And you hear people saying, 'I was not there with you to march across the bridge at Selma. I was not at the March on Washington. But I am in this struggle to make Barack Obama president."
Tonight Lewis will pay tribute to Dr. King.
(NPR)
