Thirty nine years ago, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C, Martin Luther King Jr. gave one of the most popular speeches heard in this country when he said the words “I have a dream.”

One of King’s dreams was to see his four children living in nation where they would be judged by their character instead of their skin color. Many wonder if that dream has come true yet.

Dr. King, a well-known Civil Rights leader, is one of the most admired figures in our country. Not only is he considered a hero to the African American community, but he is viewed as a hero to the whole world. As a winner of the Noble Prize in his fight for unification and equality for all, Martin Luther King Jr. was best remembered for his nonviolent strategies.

Around the country, many communities came together and celebrated his national holiday with parades and discussions about how to improve the state of inequality. Yet as many federal government buildings closed for the day and people were off from work and school, they forgot that racial inequality still exists and missed a great opportunity to come together with people of all races.

Academy student Jessie Larson, a senior, says, “I really wanted to do something that day but I had no idea what to do. I’m really going to try extra hard to do something next year because I do look up to him.”

Many people are pleased with the way Americans are handling issues regarding inequality and they feel that as a country, tolerance continues to beat racism. They point out that there are more blacks in higher positions and that most of the things Martin Luther King Jr. fought for have come true. Schools have been integrated and, with the help of affirmative action, many things have changed since the segregation of the 1960’s.

“I think Martin Luther King Jr. would be proud of us today if he was alive. Equality between races isn’t perfect yet, but blacks and whites are closer than ever before.” Says senior Academy student LaBerth Keyes.

English teacher Jennifer Ell adds that since growing up in the Midwest left her with a limited awareness of the impact King was having on the country, she educated herself about him through television and books. She says, “It has taken a great deal of pain and suffering to get to where we are today, but we are learning how to embrace one another and accept our cultural difference.”

Yet others disagree and are completely disappointed with the slow pace of integration. They argue that blacks haven’t been given the same opportunities whites have had for years and that this lack of education might be to blame for many black students in Clark County schools scoring much lower on their proficiency exams than their white classmates.

Academy Government teacher, Mr. Akins says, “We have come such a little way and we have much longer to go in erasing bigotry.” He goes on to explain, “We have had one black Governor, two black Senators, 43 Congressman, and we have yet to have even one black President.”

Academy senior Dylan Kenney agrees saying, “I really don’t think King would be proud of our nation today. There are people in this country who are still being discriminated against and if he were alive today, I think he would agree that we still have far to go.”

Those who lived through this time and experienced the struggles of the 1960s and earlier, know first hand the struggles minorities dealt with to have come so far.

“Being a product of the 1960s,” says Government teacher Bob Zambon, “I was acutely aware of the racism and bigotry that preoccupied the hearts and minds of Americans. I believe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have been extremely disappointed in the continued judgmental attitude exemplified by many today. He would have been saddened by the intolerance of racism, sexism and the homophobia permeated by many ignorant people.”

Psychology teacher Ricky Alford says, “I was born in Long View, Texas in 1946 and grew up going to segregated schools where our parents paid taxes like everyone else, but we still had to use second hand books and have teachers who weren’t college educated. It was my responsibility to catch up with the white students in the other schools, and I had to work extra hard to get accepted to college in L.A.”

She goes on to say, “I remember once my sister shut the car door on her fingers and we took her to the hospital. They refused to treat her because we were black. I remember another experience during the Civil Rights (movement) when we went to a movie theater to see Tennessee Williams’ Night of the Iguana. Back then, colored people had to sit on the balcony which was referred to as the ‘crows nest,’ and we would wait until all the other people sat down, and we would go down the stairs and sit on the ground floor. We would be harassed and called horrible names, but we were inspired to do so by the examples set to us by Martin Luther King Jr.”

Alford continues, “I think if King were to still be alive, he would be spilt. As a person who has seen the way it was, and the way it is now, I feel that we have come a great distance but, yes, we still have a great distance to go. I truly believe that no matter where you start out, if you work hard, you will end up where you want to be.”

She takes a deep breath, “My grandparents, Martin Luther King Jr., and my inspiration to have a better life helped me get to wonderful places. I had a high position in corporate America, but ultimately left to pursue my real dream of becoming a teacher, and I am happy. It’s important for children to grow up having true heroes to look up to as I did.”

U.S. History teacher, Katie Kloster agrees and says, “My parents marched in Chicago with Martin Luther King Jr. I grew up knowing there was inequality in this world, and I was inspired by King to do something about it. I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t see Britney Spears as a strong hero like Martin Luther King Jr., yet if you asked students who they look up to, that’s the response you are likely to get.”

Academy student Victoria Cancio says, “ I think that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be pleased and yet dismayed with where we are today because there is so much more potential for our nation.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. continues to bring people together from every race with his message of equality for all through peace, but the most powerful message he has left our country is hope. Hope that today might be better than yesterday, but that tomorrow should be the best.

-Return to February 2002 Issue-