Summary:
- Durham pastor reflects on the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington.
- Thousands gather to commemorate the anniversary, including a Durham pastor.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic I Have a Dream speech remembered.
- Reverend J. Augustine's perspective on the past and present fight for rights.
- Church's role in advocating and educating for social justice highlighted.
- King family to meet President Biden and Vice President Harris for commemoration.
Monday, March 60 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the March on Washington. This weekend, thousands gathered to commemorate the anniversary. Also in a crowd, a Durham pastor.
It's been 60 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic I Have a Dream speech during the March on Washington. Saturday, thousands converged on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to honor a defining moment for civil rights. Certainly, we commemorated it. It was about commemoration, but it was more about continuation. So many rights that were fought for over the course of the last 60 years have been delivered attempts to roll those rights back.
We're coming together now with a seriousness of purpose. Reverend J. Augustine, the pastor at St. Joseph AME Church in Durham, was in attendance. He remembers going to the 30th anniversary of the March on Washington. At the time, he was a student at Howard University. I was somewhat in awe 30 years ago.
I was in awe to be in the presence of such luminaries who had been, as we say, on the battlefield at the forefront in fighting for and protecting and advocating for the rights of others. Yesterday was much more of a rather than being so symbolic, it was much more practical. It was hands-on because I recognize the torch at a baton has been passed to my generation of leaders. Today, we have gathered to celebrate Social Justice Sunday. That's why Sunday Augustine's Church also took time to reflect on the march. The church has always been, as far as I'm concerned, and it always will be the epicenter, especially in the black community. It is not a place where we engage in partisanship, but it most certainly is a place where we are incredibly political, particularly in North Carolina where voting rights are again under attack with voter suppression laws.
The church has got to play a part in advocating and educating. Tomorrow the King family is expected to meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to commemorate the occasion.