Friday, April 04, 2008

The Dream Lives On

Forty years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered. I have no memories of that day, since I was born only 5 months before that tragic event.

However, I have a great appreciation for Dr. King and his legacy. In fact, in some ways, my family is a part of his legacy. Would it have been possible for a white man and woman to have adopted a black son before the civil rights movement? I'm not sure, but I doubt it. Certainly, it would not have been as socially acceptable to be a family like ours.

Nearly 3 years ago, Janet, Christopher, and I visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee while on vacation. The Lorraine Motel, the location of Dr. King's assassination, was converted into the National Civil Rights Museum several years ago. It was quite an educational experience, and I would like to urge others to visit the museum at some point in their lives. In a few years, when Christopher is old enough to appreciate it more fully, we plan to return.

I'm thankful that God used Martin Luther King Jr. to change race relations in America. I'm thankful for my transracial family and for the racial diversity of the Contact Church of Christ. I acknowledge that racial tension continues, but I am grateful for the progress that has been made.

No comments: