Remembering the dream

Today we celebrate the life and legacy of a remarkable man, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Celebratory events honoring the dedicated civil rights leader have taken place over the past several days, with several events scheduled for today -- King's birthday.

Today, the 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast will be held at the Osage Centre. Apostle Adrian Taylor Jr. will be the keynote speaker for the breakfast, which will also include musical performances.

At 10 a.m., a "walk down memory lane" will take place at the Osage Centre, followed by a noon luncheon where the Dr. C. John Ritter Humanitarian Award will be presented.

At 4 p.m., area students will perform tributes at West Park Mall.

The aforementioned events are free and open to the public. Those attending are asked to donate canned goods, nonperishable items, toiletries and school supplies, which will be given to local food pantries among other agencies.

Capping off a week of events, Southeast Missouri State University will host its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Show Me Center. This year's keynote speaker is Roland Martin, a national syndicated columnist, television commentator and author. Martin's speech will coincide with this year's theme, "Living the spirit of the dream." Tickets are $15 and are available at the Show Me Center box office or by calling 651-2524.

Dr. King was truly a giant in American history. His life's work is often remembered through his "I have a dream" speech, which is printed in today's opinion page. The only non-president to have a federal holiday in his honor, King's life -- though tragically cut short -- is to be celebrated.