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Date: 1/25/2022
SPRINGFIELD – State and local legislators gathered on Jan. 14 to celebrate the everlasting legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Mayor Domenic Sarno welcomed United States Congressman Richard Neal, state Reps. Bud Williams and Carlos Gonzalez, Councilor At-Large Jesse Lederman, Ward 7 Councilor Timothy Allen and Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood for a truncated version of the city’s annual ceremony.
Sarno opened the event by discussing the importance of King Jr.’s peaceful activism during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. He highlighted essential reforms, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1968 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that paved a more equitable path for future generations.
“Dr. King Jr. energized and mobilized a generation of Americans, black and white, to join the struggles of civil rights, to respond to violence, hatred, unjust incarcerations with the spirit of peace, love and righteousness,” said Sarno in his proclamation of Jan. 17 as this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day. From King Jr.’s peaceful mass demonstrations to his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, Sarno reflected on the civil right figure’s sentiments about achieving equitable reform while still focusing on a sense of continual growth.
In his speech, Neal highlighted Springfield’s relationship with King Jr. Former Springfield College President Glenn Olds welcomed King Jr. to serve as a commencement speaker in 1964 while also refusing an FBI request to deny the civil rights leader a special degree. “Olds and the City of Springfield welcomed King during those fateful moments,” said Neal.
Neal further celebrated King Jr.’s successful reform efforts while acknowledging his impact elevating the country as a whole. “The event we celebrate today would not have happened without the impetus of Dr. Martin Luther King…He improved all of our lives with the efforts that he made,” said Neal.
Williams and Gonzalez utilized their addresses to stress the importance of continuing the civil right leader’s mission into the future. “It’s a great day, but we have a long road ahead. Now it’s our time to dream ahead,” said Gonzalez.
The ceremony concluded with a flag raising accompanied by Vanessa Ford’s performance of the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”