Delaware leaders and community members gathered at Delaware State University Monday to celebrate civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.
Amid the songs and dance, the cloud of racial controversy coming from the nation’s highest political office lingered over the celebration Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and work.
Reports surfaced late last week of President Donald Trump denigrating African countries and refusing to extend protections for Haitians living in the U.S.
Delaware’s leaders referenced the firestorm in their remarks. Sen. Tom Carper (D-Delaware) told the audience King would want Delawareans to welcome strangers from other countries. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware), Delaware’s first African American Congresswoman, said King and his message are more relevant today than in previous years.
“I thought about the fact that right now, we’re living in those times of waterhose times, you know," se said. "It’s not overt in some ways and in some ways it’s very overt. Here a tweet, there a tweet, everywhere a tweet tweet. It’s pretty overt.”
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Delaware) said he takes his hope for the future from those who marched for voting rights in the 60s despite being met with violence and water cannons. He said King’s faith and courage fighting for civil rights make him hopeful.
“It was Dr. King who made us believe the possibility of progress at a time when it wasn’t rational, by enduring the unendurable, by making possible the impossible, by helping millions to find their voice and stand up and to stare down, whether it was firehoses and dogs or it was to dream and to love and to hope again.” he said.
Gov. John Carney (D) called for Delawareans to be agitators for progress and serve others through grace and love.
