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Lamar Smith
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Congress Commemorates the 40th Anniversary of the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Washington, Apr 1 -

Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX) issued the following statement regarding H.Res.1061, recognizing and commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:

“Dr. King was the leader of an historic nonviolent revolution in the U.S. Over the course of his life, he fought for equal justice and led the nation toward racial harmony. While advancing this great movement, Dr. King’s home was bombed and he was subjected to relentless personal and physical abuse.

“Despite this violence, Dr. King responded in peace, with strong conviction and sound reason. And as a preacher, Dr. King’s religious beliefs were essential to the success of his nonviolent efforts. It is doubtful that such a long and enduring movement of peace could have survived in the face of such violence without the power of religious inspiration behind it.

“From 1957 to 1968, Dr. King traveled over six million miles and spoke over 2500 times about justice and equal freedom under the law. During that time, Dr. King led large protests in Birmingham, Alabama, that drew the attention of the world.

“On August 28, 1963, Dr. King led a peaceful march of 250,000 through the streets of Washington, D.C. And it is here, in this city, where he delivered a speech that spoke for all Americans, regardless of the color of their skin. In his “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. King called the march the “greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.” He was right.

“I have a dream,” he said, “that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

“Dr. King not only lived the American Dream, but he opened that same door of opportunity for millions of Americans. He lived for the causes of justice and equality.

“On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. King was assassinated.

“But a single vicious act could not extinguish Dr. King’s legacy, which endures to this day.

“And America is a better, freer nation because of it.”