Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Celebrated on the third Monday of January every year, this US federal holiday is an occasion for Americans to celebrate the life and legacy of the famous civil rights icon, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and crusader for justice, equality, and human dignity.
People all around the world know Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream” speech from 1963, in which he spoke of his hopes for a future filled with racial harmony. The poignancy of the speech comes from the gulf between King’s dream and the reality of racial segregation that existed at the time in the US Sadly, Dr King was slain before seeing his dream come true. Indeed, even today, America struggles with the effects of systemic racial discrimination, as the killing of George Floyd last year laid bare for the world to see.
The United States was founded on the simple notion that all people are created equal and have inalienable human rights. In his life and work, Dr King challenged America to live up to the promise of these founding ideals.
This struggle is central to the American identity. The recognition that our promises have yet to be fulfilled has spurred generation after generation into action to expand the reach of freedom and equality to all people, not just in the US but around the world.
As we have recently witnessed, US democracy is a work in progress - it is not a destination, but a journey. The legacy of Martin Luther King reminds us that “the time is always right to do what is right.” For this reason we cannot retreat or refuse to speak out against injustice. Instead, humbly, admitting our imperfections, we will continue to fight for the ideals of freedom and equality for all, and we will continue to stand with those who share those values, including here in Tanzania. This is how we push progress forward and honour Martin Luther King’s memory.
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