Gov. Blagojevich Commemorates Dr. King's Assassination by Proclaiming Day of Remembrance

All State Facilities to Fly Flags at Half-Staff From Sunrise to Sunset Friday

[April 04, 2008]  CHICAGO -- Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich has proclaimed Friday an official Day of Remembrance in Illinois for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in memory of the 40th anniversary of his assassination. The passionate civil rights leader, author, pastor and Nobel Peace Prize recipient would have been 79 years old this year. His legacy was celebrated nationally on Jan. 21.

"Dr. King's dedication and leadership in the fight against social injustice and racism left a lasting and positive imprint on this world," said Blagojevich. "His legacy and dream didn't die with him. But it lives on and continues to inspire those of us who followed behind him."

The text of the governor's proclamation follows:

WHEREAS, Friday, April 4 marks the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination; and

WHEREAS, at the time of his death in 1968, Dr. King was a leading advocate for racial equality, social justice, and universal peace; and

WHEREAS, in the period between 1955 and 1968, Dr. King traveled more than six million miles and spoke on more than 2,500 occasions, appearing and speaking wherever there was injustice and civil unrest; and

WHEREAS, during that time, Dr. King helped lead a successful bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama to end segregation on city buses and improve treatment of passengers. King also led a massive civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama that drew worldwide attention to the appalling treatment of African Americans in the South; and

WHEREAS, Dr. King is best known, however, for his "I Have A Dream" speech during the peaceful March on Washington demonstration for civil rights, in which he eloquently described a day when "all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, 'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last'"; and

WHEREAS, in January of 2006, Dr. King's wife, Coretta Scott King, passed away. She was at Dr. King's side during his finest hours, including when he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, and during his historic march for voting rights in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Along with her husband, she left behind a legacy of courage and compassion, and her message of equal rights and peace for all continues to make our world a better place; and

WHEREAS, although it has been 40 years since Dr. King's death, his words and teachings still resonate today:

THEREFORE, I, Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby proclaim April 4, 2008 as A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE and order all State facilities to fly their flags at half-staff from sunrise to sunset in honor of the life and death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose dream of racial equality, social justice, and universal peace we embrace and strive to realize.

[Text from file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]