Martin Luther King, Jr’s Groundbreaking Memorial ceremony in the national Mall In Washington D.C.

By Suleiman Egeh
Minnesota, USA

What can we learn from Dr. King’s message of hope?
 
 "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." Dr. Martin Luther King.
 
"From the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire, let freedom ring. From the mighty mountains of New York, let freedom ring. From the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania, let freedom ring. But not only that: Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi." Dr. Martin Luther King.
 
Introduction
 
Construction of a Memorial monument for this American hero, this icon, the face of Resistance to tyranny, visionary, the moral of the nation, the champion of the voiceless and the downtrodden was long overdue. Finally the recognition of his contribution to the struggle for social change in the United States, and around the world arrived yesterday. Monday, 13 of November 2006 will be a great day which will go down to history as a great day, that can be remembered for generations to come. Here came the day Dr. Martin Martin Luther King, the biblical prophet for change will join in the grounds of the Washington D.C. Mall, other great leaders before him, who founded this great American experiment such as, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delaney Roosevelt (FDR).                                                                                                                                                                  
The courageous merchant of  social justice, civil rights and human rights, who challenged America to live up to the great ideals of her foundation, The attributes enshrined in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Dr. King’s Memorial will lay next to them. Finally Dr. King got the recognition he so desereved, which has eluded so many other champions for civil rights and social change. Civil rights giants such as D.E.B.Debois, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X. and others also may one day get some kind of recognition from the American people.
 
On Monday, 13Th of November, 2006, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated for the construction of a Memorial for Dr. Martin Luther King’s has unveiled the beginning of a Martin Luther King Memorial Construction Project, in a Groundbreaking ceremony in the National Mall in Washington D.C.
 
"When we finish this Memorial, we will have a King among presidents," said Foundation President, Harry Johnson. "We’re proud to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a Memorial he deserves and we’re elated to be one-step closer to finishing this momentous project."

Numerous American organizations and individuals have supported the Memorial Project. The following are some of those corporation who helped the memorial effort:
The Ford Foundation, Exxon Mobile foundation, Pepsi Company, State Farm, Marriott Foundation, Walt Disney Company Foundation, Toyota, Alpha Phi Alpha, Chevy Chase Company and many others.
 
In this historical event dedicating the construction of a Memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, a great number of political, business, corporate leaders and the general public have converged on the grounds of the National Mall. The site of the Memorial is a 4 acre Tidal Basin which is between the Abraham Lincoln and the Thomas Jefferson memorials. It is not that far from the steps of Jefferson Memorial where Dr. MLK has delivered his legendary, I have a dream speech in 1963. 43 years has passed since Dr. Martin Luther King has delivered that historical speech. The National Mall is the front yard of America and its cosmopolitan capital-Washington D.C. and it is not that far from the  Potomac River. Construction of a Memorial monument for this American hero, the icon 
 
This ceremony came about by a1998 joint congressional resolution that was signed by the then president Bill Clinton.
 
Among the event’s dignitaries are the current president of the United States of America his excellency George W. Bush, the former president of the United States-Mr. Bill Clinton, some of Dr. Martin Luther King’s colleagues in the great Southern Christan leadership Conference (SCLC), such as Jesse Jackson the CEO and the chairman of the Chicago-based Bush Rainbow Coalition, Ambassador Andrew Young, the former mayor of Atlanta, congressman John Lewis of Georgia, three of Dr. Martin Luther King’s children, Martin L. King the 111, Yolanda Denise King and reverend Bernice Albertine King. Dr., Mayo Angelou, a poet and novelist, Oprah Winfrey a famous Talk Show Host and a host of other dignitaries and other distinguished guests.
 
The guests have delivered moving speeches and sermons reminding us not to forget the long and bitter struggle for social justice, civil and human rights.
 
"It is a divinely ordained day. My father Dr. King was a priest and a pastor, who became a great pastor for the nation. Dr. King struggled against the triple evils of mankind: racism, poverty and militarism which still exist today".  Reverend Bernice Albertine King.
 
"As we break ground, we give Martin Luther King his rightful place among the great Americans honored on our National Mall. The King Memorial will span a piece of ground between the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, and by its presence in this place will unite the men who dedicated the promise of America and defended the promise of America with the man who redeemed the promise of America." President Bush.
 
Dr. Dorothy Heights, president Emeritus of the National Council of Black Women highlighted the huge contributions of Dr. King  has made to the United States civil rights movement and the world at large.
 
In this historical ceremony speaker after speaker talked about the importance of continuing the struggle for social justice. 
 
The Memorial is expected to be finished in 2008.
 
What can learn from Dr. King’s message of hope?
 
We can learn from him the following: 

• Peaceful agitation for social change. 
• Demanding our rights through peaceful means.
• Making our positions across through cool heads, meaning in a respectful manner.
• Resolving our problems through peaceful means.
• Constructive criticism not destructive finger pointing.
• Attacking the message but not the messenger.
• Challenging leaders when they err and fail to lead as expected in a dignified manner.You
• can clearly make your points across, while not attacking anybody or any group.
• Your criticism must be true, backed by evidence and must be confined to the specific
• person or persons.
• It is not what you say, but it is how you say it.   
• Your criticism must always be related to the concrete current events and a  specific subject, not to mythical conspiracy theories which are plentiful in this neck of the woods.
• Stop attacking or harshly criticizing the group, when the culprit is just one person.          
• Refrain from framing the matter into group problem, while it is clearly a personal problem.
• Stop the big paint brush of attacking the whole group-clan.
• Speak to the issues not the person.
   

Conclusion
 
Our country needs visionary leaders, who can lead our people through the difficult times, this area where they live is going through. We need doers, mentors, goal setters and people who can blaze the tail for our people. We need transparent and accountable leaders who know, feel and see what the ordinary people are going through day in and day out.
 
The last thing we need is secretive, undemocratic and unaccountable leaders.  We need quality leaders who can lead our people to, what Dr. Martin Luther King called the "promised land". Last but not the least, we need leaders who can at least attempt to help our nation build peaceful, harmonious and orderly community. Hopefully the later in the long run, may grow into what Dr. Martin Luther King called the "Beloved Community."
 
On the 7Th of November 2006,, the American people have spoken, and in the interim, the Republican party has lost the control of both House of Representatives and the Senate. In the same token, you need to put your leaders to account for the coming parliamentary and presidential elections in 2007 and 2008. If they don’t deliver, just vote them out.   
 
 
Soleiman Egeh.  MS. Molecular Biology
 
MS. Science Education   

suleiman Egeh  soleimoneg@yahoo.com