WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBCNC) – A wreath-laying ceremony honored the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. at his monument in Washington, D.C.
His son, Martin Luther King III, said there is still much work to be done to make his slain father’s dream a reality as we approach the 50th anniversary of his assassination, this April.
“I’m not here to talk about what has not happened because we know what has not happened. But what I’m here to do is to look to the future. To figure out how,” King said. “We as a nation can come together as the nation that we always have been–to not just provide leadership in our nation. Certainly we must address the triple evils of poverty, racism, militarism, and violence. My dad and mother dedicated their lives for that eradication. In this nation, called the United States, it is unacceptable to have over 60 million people living in poverty–with a 20 almost trillion dollar economy. Something is wrong with that.”
During the ceremony, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “We have made progress as a nation over the last 50 years but it isn’t enough. We still haven’t reached that mountaintop that Dr. King so eloquently referenced in his final speech. We still have bridges to cross. We still confront racism and we still confront discrimination. We still confront inequality. And we will only continue to make progress if we keep marching forward together. Mindful of our history but hopeful for our future filled with our faith that we are fighting for the common good and that we will one day reach that mountaintop together.”
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