SAVANNAH, Ga. - Col. John D. Kline, commander, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, along with the 3rd CAB color guard, honored the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the 42nd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance at the Economic Opportunity Authority of Savannah-Chatham County Jan. 16.
The theme of this year's event was "Unity Among All People." The intent of the meeting was to honor King in a multi-cultural and multi-religious setting. There were leaders from the Jewish, Chinese and Indian communities, as well as representatives of the Christian and Islamic faiths.
King, born Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, was a leader in the African-American Civil Rights movement. During the turbulence of the '60s, he used nonviolent civil disobedience to advance civil rights. King, regarded by many as a great orator, gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in front of tens of thousands of people at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on Aug. 28, 1963.
"Since 1986, Americans have observed a federal holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," said Kline. "But we observe Martin Luther King Jr. day differently than other holidays. Because the most fitting way to observe this holiday is not just to celebrate the holiday, but to act on his words to achieve the dream that he spoke of."
The EOA Community Action Program (CAP) provides a variety of programs and services to assist low to moderate income residents of Savannah and Chatham County. Programs like Head Start/Early Head Start, Weatherization, Foster Grandparent, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Energy Assistance, Homeless Services, Housing Services, Crisis Intervention, Employment, Job Development and Training, Computer Learning Lab, and many more.
Honors were given to three outstanding members of the community for their tireless efforts and hard work with the EOA: Retired United States Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Walter E. Gaskin, Russell E. Abolt, and Inez Jenkins.
King died April 4, 1968, from an assassin's bullet in Memphis, Tenn. Prior to his death, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence.
Thankfully due to organizations like the EOA and programs like CAP, King's good works continue today said John H. Finney, executive director, Economic Opportunity Authority of Savannah.
"One of the issues that we have been pushing is the issue of unity among all people. Even though it was the African-American whom Dr. King advocated for in terms of human rights, Dr. King talked about the beloved country," said Finney. "And the beloved country is a country that consists of Anglo Saxons, Jews, Asians, Hispanics and everyone. Dr. King would be happy because we have everyone coming together. This is not just an African-American cause."
Social Sharing