Remembering King

Today the nation remembers a pioneer in the civil rights movement, a man who led with vision, conviction and courage: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Some students see the day as a break from school in mid-January. But for many the day's significance is more than a break from school or work. It's a day we remember the legacy of Dr. King and his nonviolent approach to helping ensure civil rights for all.

Earlier this year a memorial was unveiled in Washington, D.C., honoring King. The 450-foot crescent-shaped wall displays quotes from King and is a fitting remembrance of his importance to a movement he cared so deeply about.

Ceremonies kicked off last week honoring King, and a number of others will take place locally this week. To learn more about these events, go to semoevents.com. We hope you consider attending one or more of the festivities honoring this American hero.

King is remembered by many for his "I Have a Dream" speech, though this was just one example of his tireless efforts to fight injustice and poverty in a peaceful manner. At the end of the speech, delivered in August 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., King quotes a Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" These words will forever be timeless. In this great country, God has indeed blessed us. May we never take our freedoms for granted.