Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, Dr. King brought the civil rights
movement to every living room in this country. He marched for freedom
in the face of unspeakable racial prejudice, yet preached a message of
nonviolence, civility and tolerance. It took Dr. King's forceful
movement and powerful words to bring about real and lasting change to
this country.
This will be the first Martin Luther King, Jr. Day since the passing
of Dr. King's wife, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, a legendary civil rights
advocate who's memory we honored at a community wide march last year in
Miami. During a time of national grief and unrest following Dr. King's
assassination, she became a symbol of her husband's struggle for peace
and unity. On this day, we also honor this wonderful matriarchal
figure, a role model who helped lead the struggle for equality.
Minority communities face obstacles every day--poverty, unemployment, lack of healthcare, and access to housing. It is a tragic waste that 1 in 5 children live in poverty, including more than one-third of African American children.
Dr. King paved the way for so many people, including me, to assume
roles of influence in this country. And for all this work, he created a
more just society and made this country an even better place to live. On this day, let us work even harder toward fulfilling Dr. King's legacy of public service.