1963. A year in in history that forever changed the
direction of the United States of America. 1963 is a year that saw monumental
events take place that spearheaded a change in social thought and also
uncovered an ugly blanket that had so long been covering unacknowledged hatred
and ignorance in this country. August 28th 2013 marked the 50th
anniversary of the March On Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King’s iconic “I
Have A Dream” speech. The events that led to the moment that took place on that
late August day in 1963 were fueled by segregation, hate crimes and blatant
disdain and disrespect for a group of people due simply to one factor; the
color of their skin. The Civil Rights movment was well underway in the United
States of America, in particular the deep south. Spearheaded by the murder of
Emmett Till in 1955, the Civil Rights Movement was a cry from black citizens of
this country for equality in all sectors of American life which had been denied
to them because of the color of their skin. August 28th 1963 was a
day that all races came together with the hopes of making positive progress to
see that these transgressions against the black citizens of this country would
cease. The irony of the March On Washington is that significant, monumental step
backs in this country would take place following the unifying of races in the
upcoming months. On September 15, 1963 four little girls were killed at their
church, 16th Street Baptist Church after it was bombed by the Klu
Klux Klan. November 22nd 1963 saw the 35th
President of The United States Of America, John F. Kennedy assassinated by a
sniper’s bullet. These acts taking place after the March On Washington was a
definite message from those that were against the possible acts of integration
and unification on all levels. The “Dream” that MLK had was for all people to
be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.
Blacks and whites were both killed post March On Washington; Malcolm X, Medgar
Evers, Dr. King and President Kennedy’s
brother Bobby Kennedy were all victims of assassin’s bullets due to their
beliefs for equality of not just one group of people in this country, but ALL
people in this country. Fast forward to 2013. Has the United States of America
reached any type of even field in regard to race relations and ideals; the
facts and numbers indicate that there has not been a great deal of progress. Of
course segregation is not supported by laws in this country, but the beliefs
and robust ideas of inferiority in this country continue to exist, not because
they are true, but because they are taught. A dream starts within and what is
developed within will come out to the surface. People have to understand that
it takes more energy to reverse something than to move forward. Progress is
dependent upon a realization that things can be better when you seek to make
things better and this was Dr. King’s goal on August 28th 1963. Two
people become one people for the betterment of all people. Have a dream, see
the dream, be the dream and live the dream.
