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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Yesterday the United States celebrated two important occasions: the inauguration of our 44th President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama II, and the national observance for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Many have heard of both men, yet to every person they each represent something a little different. In 2008 the United States elected its first Black president, Barack Obama. The 2008 U.S. presidential election was an historic moment because it marked the first time in over 200 years that our nation had elected a Person of Color into the president's office. Although there were many pressing foreign issues (wars and flailing economies) as well as our own domestic economic depression to debate over, the issue of race seemed to overwhelm the majority of the national news. Eventually, regardless of any race and religious controversy, the nation spoke and elected Barack Obama to serve as our 44th president.
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President Barack ObamaWhat I remember about the most about the 2008 presidential campaigns was the constant rhetoric of how Dr. Martin Luther King's vision of his "I Have a Dream Speech" (video version) had been realized. Dr. King's speech embodied the vision that the "people of our nation would one day live in a society where they would not be judged by the color of their skin." What I find true in both men is that they spoke for people, and to people, that felt they had lost most everything in their lives. Dr. King was known to have led many non-violent demonstrations and sit-ins during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s. President Barack Obama ushered in the student vote through social media technology in the first election, proving he could transcend generational and social gaps through modern communication of the 21st century. Dr. King was known for his many speeches (click on any speech to open text or YouTube link), "Drum Major Instinct," "Prophetic Last Speech," and "Where Do We Go From Here" to name a few. President Obama is also a great orator. He captivated many with his candidate speeches in his first campaign culminating with his 2008 Democratic National Convention Speech, 2008 Election Night Victory Speech and his 2009 Inauguration Speech. Both men also have come from humble beginnings and worked through personal struggles to achieve what they set themselves out to do. They have proven that with determination and drive, it is possible to envision a different future for everyone. I know that I have definitely been inspired by both men. As a family man, person of color, and first generation immigrant, I have many fronts with which to identify to either President Obama or Dr. King. I invite you to take some time and click through the links provided. At the very least, you might find some inspiration of your own.
