Senator Doug Jones Remembers Martin Luther King

— from U.S. Senator Doug Jones —

Today, we pause to reflect and celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. This is a day that many have come to use as a day of service — honoring the spirit of Dr. King by connecting personally with someone in need and expanding the dignity and humanity of both in the process. For others, it is a time to reflect on the ageless wisdom we find in his words.

Much of Dr. King’s work was in Alabama. When he was only 25, he became the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery. The church became the organizing center of the bus boycott inspired by the courage of Rosa Parks. In 1963, from Birmingham, he forced the world to look at pervasive injustice — people could no longer pretend it did not exist.

Of course, in Selma, Dr. King, John Lewis and hundreds of foot soldiers marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge where blood had been spilled and marched 54 miles, once again returning to Montgomery. That march took four days with 25,000 people joining by the time they reached the Alabama Capitol steps. It is critical that we all remember that this sacrifice was to claim the right to vote.

In April, it will have been 50 years since Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis. His struggle for equality and humanity was so often met with hatred and violence. Despite that, he remained resilient and optimistic that we, as a people, would eventually know a just and caring world.

His words are as true today as they were five decades ago. When I think of our lives and our world today, I am heartened by this charge from Dr. King:

“We must walk on in the days ahead with audacious faith in the future.”

With the help of thousands, I believe we took a step toward a better future in Alabama last month. I am humbled to help lead our way forward and pledge to work with the perseverance Dr. King showed to seek equality, justice, dignity, and a better life for all.