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Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King,Jr.
January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968
“From the Dream to a New Reality: A Fresh Look at Diversity”
by Ann F. Mason and Major Mason III Ph.D.
True Peace is not just the absence of conflict, it is the presence of justice and brotherhood.
Ten years ago, the Black & White Reunion of consciously decided to hold its annual Summit Against Racism near the official birthday holiday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.* We continue to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King because we believe as he did that those of different races and creeds are here to live and learn together, no matter our race, creed, color, gender, or national origin. The Black & White Reunion members and friends endeavor to work together on economic, human rights and social issues to bring justice and peace for all people because we know that the struggle continues.
The struggle to change conditions in America, and to win equal protection under the law for citizens of all races, formed the backdrop of Dr. King’s short life. His Dream is still valid and the Constitution is still valid. MLK said that “the architects of the Constitution and the including Declaration of Independence left a promissory note” for the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for us all. It is obvious that in 1963 when he first gave his “I Have a Dream” speech and still today, “America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.” In fact, America gave African Americans “a bad check, a check that has come back marked insufficient funds.” Just as W.E.B. DuBois said in the 20th century, and still for this century, “The problem ... is the color line.” Frederick Douglass also said that “power concedes nothing without demand.” If Martin Luther King was alive to assess our progress in 2007, he would probably say that we have come a long way, but we have a long way to go for all of us to reach the mountaintop. African Americans have been in the forefront and a catalytic agent for change. African Americans started the fight for human rights and that model continues to be used by women, handicapped people,Hispanic, Asians and other disadvantaged groups to gain their inalienable rights.
We have to keep struggling, to work together to construct a new paradigm that will enable us to realize Dr. King’s Dream, to fulfill the Mission the Black & White Reunion. The Black & White Reunion has worked with many other organizations since 1996 when it was formed as a result of the October 12,1995 horrendous death of Jonny Gammage. Through the collective efforts of many grassroots organizations and people who care, we certainly have many accomplishments to be proud of including in part: the Consent Decree for the Pittsburgh Police Department, the documentary “ENOUGH is Enough” was produced about Jonny Gammage, ordinary people gathered thousands of signatures on petitions to get the Citizen Police Review Board, and eight Annual Summits were held.
We welcome you to the 10th Annual Summit Against Racism. Please remember that the Summit program book has tools for us to use, elected officials, police, university, grassroots and community leaders who can also be resources for the struggle to help make Dr. King’s Dream a New Reality in the 21st century.
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
*On January 15, 2007, we celebrated the 21st anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday,and hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country remembered and memorialized Dr. King by participating in service projects in their communities. (www.mlkday.gov
The groundbreaking for the national Memorial for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. occurred on November 13, 2006. The four-acre site on the Mall in Washington, DC will face the Lincoln Memorial where he gave his “I Have A Dream” speech on August 28, 1963.