Metro Detroit Celebrates The Legacy Of MLK With Music, Marches And Scholarships
DETROIT (WWJ) -- Live music was a part of the many events on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History in Detroit.
Danette Mills of Detroit stopped by the museum and said that the younger generation unfortunately just doesn't understand freedom like past generations.
"They don't understand the unity that we as a people had," Mills said. "Now -- because they don't understand their history -- they've lost it somewhere. They don't care about the unity, we don't look out for each other anymore, we don't stand up for each other's rights. It's important to me, for my children, my grand children to know where we've come from as a people."
Yolanda Jack, the museum's Education Director, said that a new exhibit debuted Monday called "Shadow Matters," by Detroiter M. Scott Johnson, showcases art from a local artist.
"(It's) the artwork of one of Detroit's own artists who has gone on and made his name across the United States, and now he's back home to represent what he's done," Jack said.
Downtown, the memory of Dr. King and his "dream" were recognized by a march and rally in Detroit on Monday, where hundreds of people took to the streets.
Carrying signs that said "Fight Racism, Poverty and Brutality, Black and Brown Lives Matter," and "Resistance is Justified," the group of nearly 500 marchers represented a cross-section of race and age.
"I like the fact that there's actually more Caucasian people out here than African-American people," one marcher said. "It shows that it's not about race, nowadays it's more about who's willing to do something about it."
The theme of the rally was 50 Years Since Selma: The struggle for social justice, democracy and peace continues.
Oakland University turned to a celebrity Monday to help further Dr. King's dream. Jurnee Smollett Bell, best know for her role as Jess Merriweather on the television series "Friday Night Lights," spoke at Oakland's Keeper of the Dream Scholarship event.
Bell told WWJ Newsradio 950 that she's excited about the progress made possible by Dr. King.
"It's a very exciting time, there's a lot of movement forward," Bell said. "We see demonstrations happening all over the nation when people are unhappy about something, we really see people more and more exercising their right to protest."
Five students at Oakland University received $5,000 scholarships for their work to strengthen diversity and inclusion.
A local Muslim Iman said that the themes of Dr. King's legacy has meaning and value to people of all faiths. The Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn honored the holiday with an interfaith program over the weekend.
Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi said that the Dr. King's teachings are the essences of all Abrahamic faith traditions -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism alike.
"The essence of peace, justice, sincerity, service, love, sacrifice and helping community and helping humanity in a peaceful way," Elahi said, adding that Dr. King's message is timeless and knows no boundaries.
Back in Detroit, Rev. Nicholas Hood Sr, 91-year-old former Detroit city councilman recalled very well June 23, 1963 on Woodward in Detroit.
"It was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced before or afterwards," Hood said.
Hundreds of thousands of people joined the freedom march with Dr. King to Cobo Hall, where he gave a version of his "I Have A Dream" speech.
