January 19, 2005
'Arguing for the soul of America'
Traverse City service commemorates life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Sunday evening, the sanctuary of the Central United Methodist Church reverberated with the passion and inspiration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Members of the Traverse City Human Rights Commission, who sponsor a commemoration to King every year, included his famous 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech as part of the program. Listening to a recording of his righteous words of justice - a calling to account for hundreds of years of discrimination against blacks in America, a vision of future harmony and equality founded in America's principles - reminded Rabbi Chava (Stacie) Bahle of the story of Moses freeing the slaves in Egypt.
Giving the benediction to close the commemoration, Bahle drew parallels between great men.
"For Moses sought liberty for more than just his people but he sought liberty for all of the oppressed, the young, the old, female and male, Israelite and non-Israelite," Bahle said. "Like him, Dr. King listened to the still small voice in his heart that told him that no one is free until all are free."
The commemoration for King drew approximately 125 people and featured guest speaker Dr. Robert Newby, a professor and past chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work at Central Michigan University.
A distinguished scholar, Newby has been on the faculty at Wayne State University and has published extensively on racism. Before beginning his academic career, he was a regional director for the Michigan Civil Rights Commission and also taught public school.
Newby declared that King was the right man in the right place at the right time. His talk delved into the history of the very beginnings of the Civil Rights movement, discussed the key players and illustrated King's integral involvement at all steps.
King was both a shaper of the times and shaped by the times, Newby said, outlining the events that set the stage was set for a national movement. As Rosa Parks was arrested, sparking a bus boycott, people and ministers in Montgomery, Ala., organized, leading King into a prominent position.
"Blacks in Montgomery were ripe for the movement and King was thrust into the leading role," said Newby, who outlined Dr. King's contributions through the 1950s and 1960s. "When he won the Nobel Peace Prize [in 1964], the world recognized the enormous change taking place in America. King had a world role in peace and justice, not just for the black man but for all the oppressed."
Newby said that King and the Civil Rights Movement were part of the struggle for the soul of America.
"His notions about peace, about changing America, arguing for the soul of America, that's what King was all about," Newby noted. "If nothing else, on this day when we celebrate his life, it is important that we understand what he stood for in terms of economic justice, peace and doing away with economic gradualism."
The evening also featured music by members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation choir under the direction of Rev. Kevin Tarsa and greetings by Harry Wright, a member of the Traverse City Human Rights Commission.
As they do every year, volunteers determined to keep his vision of equality and justice alive create the commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They believe the annual national celebration of King's birthday is a reason to unite and embrace the principles he embodied.
"Each of the people here, that you heard from, have volunteered their time to be here," said M'Lynn Hartwell, a member of the committee that presented the event. "Dr. King spoke highly of community service and I think you've seen a good example of it in our own community tonight."