OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Honoring The Life And Work Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Floor Speech

Date: Jan. 13, 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Arts, Entertainment, and History

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H. Res. 1002 which honors the life and work of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and encourages the continued commitment to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday as a national day of service. I would also like to commend Representative Platts, the sponsor of this resolution, for his continued commitment to preserving the accomplishments of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, ten years ago, thanks to the hard work of Chairman John Conyers, all fifty states for the first time officially observed the federal holiday in Dr. King's honor. This was certainly a milestone for the United States. Efforts to memorialize Dr. King's life with a holiday have been ongoing since shortly after his assassination on April 4, 1968 and I am proud to say we have come a long way from that time.

It is an honor to be a representative from Georgia where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. began his work and, as an African-American I am proud to be a part of Dr. King's legacy. It is through Dr. King's efforts to codify civil rights in both the law and the heart of America that I am able to have the privilege of representing the great state of Georgia in the House of Representatives today. Dr. King's work continues to influence millions of people today. His call for nonviolence and civic engagement has inspired people to positive action to better their station and their communities. As Dr. King once said, ``Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.'' These words embody the spirit we need to remember during the upcoming holiday.

Madam Speaker, as the third Monday in January approaches and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's. message of service, unity and equality for all continues to resonate with people around the world, let us not forget what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did for America and the world and let us recognize the importance of this holiday and of service to our community.

I strongly support H. Res. 1002.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT


Source
arrow_upward