The Dream Lives On!

Today is not a celebration day, but one of reflection and looking forward. Many people have memories of Dr. King, I have 3 specific memories of him. The first is the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965. My father, who was a US Marshall, was part of the security detail for the march but only made it through half the march because granddaddy died. The second was July 30, 1967 at County Hall in Charleston, SC. I had just turned 9 when Dr. King came to give a speech there. It was a hot Sunday afternoon and I remember almost not going. My brothers and my mother didn't want to attend, but my father did. He asked me and I went. I remember Dr. King that day, he would always start out in a slow, deliberate tone and would end up in rousing sweat drenched, thundering tone. Little did we all know that this would be his last visit here. Third was the night of his assassination. My father was in New York at the time and my mother was sleeping because she was a nurse and was on the 11p-7am shift at Roper Hospital. Me and my sister were watching TV when around 8:30pm EST a news flash came on CBS that Dr. King had been shot. We immediately jumped up, ran into my parents room and woke her. By the time she got to the TV Walter Cronkite announced that he had died.

These memories I will carry with me to my grave. People, WE MUST NOT LET DR. KING'S MESSAGE FADE AWAY OR DIE IN VAIN. It is in every one's interest to get over the race issue that is still a festering cancer in this country. Some people say Dr. King's dream is dead, some say it's impossible, and some say nothing at all. It's been 42 years since the Civil Rights act had been signed, about that same time the first African-American, Harvey Gnatt, attended my alma mater, Clemson University. I could go on and on, but let's face it, progress has been made! The lovely lady you see in this picture is my niece, Kourtney. This year she was elected homecoming queen at a predominantly white private school in Charlotte, NC. She will graduate in the top 1 per cent of her class and has the OPPORTUNITY to attend the college of her choice. She IS the next generation for us. My grandfather never had an education, his son wanted to be a tailor but ended up a US Marshall, I'm in the field of science, Koutney's mother is a Pharmacist. In other words, we have come a long, long way but we still have miles to go. I was born on the tail end of Jim Crow and segreation, but on the threshold of the Civil Rights movement. For me DR. KING'S DREAM WILL NEVER DIE! Why? All you have to do is look at Kourtney for the answer.