ANSBACH, Germany (Jan. 16, 2014) -- U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach and 12th Combat Aviation Brigade hosted a celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Von Steuben Community Center today. The event highlighted King's contribution to the movement and the work of Coretta Scott King, King's wife, after his death.
Col. Christopher M. Benson, USAG Ansbach commander, spoke during the event.
"Coretta Scott King led the long-fought campaign to recognize her late husband's contributions to the Civil Rights Movement," said Benson. "After King's assassination in April 1968, Coretta channeled her grief and concentrated on continuing her husband's work. Years of planning, fundraising, and lobbying lay ahead, but she would not be deterred, nor did she neglect continuing to fight for the causes her husband had championed."
"Everything leads back to history," said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Forsythe, the garrison's equal opportunity adviser. "It's important for people to attend these types of events and realize that the struggle is still out there and we need to meet it."
To emphasize the historical aspect of the holiday, a skit, titled "The Story of a Dream," was performed by Soldiers. The performance covered the American Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat in 1955, which led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. One of the highlights of the skit was the recitation of King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech, which was performed by Staff Sgt. Uzziyah Cohen.
According to Cohen, he had been a Martin Luther King Jr. fan dating back to college. To prepare for the speech, he watched King speeches to get a feeling for the way King spoke. Cohen looked at the content and the rhythm of "I Have a Dream" to inform his performance during the ceremony.
"That was one of the things that was beautiful about Martin Luther King's speeches -- a lot of them were almost like poetry," said Cohen. "Just listening to it, it's a work of art. Also, from a literary standpoint, it's a work of art.
"I hope that someone actually learned something," continued Cohen. "Several ministers and preachers have said that love is the one thing [that will live beyond the grave]. There is no better example than Martin Luther King with his nonviolent approach and his strength to love. I can't think of any better person that we can honor today that embodies that."
"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, 'Life's most persistent and urgent question is: "What are you doing for others?"'" said Benson. "Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities. The day represents the opportunity to start the year off right by making a positive impact in the community."
To learn more about Martin Luther King Jr., visit mlkday.gov. To learn more about the garrison's equal opportunity program, call 09811-83-7940 or DSN 468-7940.
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