From King to Obama

Tomorrow will be an historic day when Barack Obama is sworn in as America's 44th President. But today holds it's own historic significance. MPB's Patty Davis takes us to one event honoring the late Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

In 1969, Dolphis Weary left Mississippi, and said "I ain't comin back". He later used that line as the title of a book about his own life. But he did return, and today is the President and primary visionary of Mission Mississippi. A racial reconciliation movement encouraging unity across racial and religious lines.

"We're trying to make a difference in our state. We need to not let race separate us. And I believe that's what Martin Luther King said years ago. We're saying let's live it out today. Thank you so much for this award".

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Weary was one of five recipients Friday of the "For My People" award at the 40th annual Birthday Convocation in memory of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. at Jackson State University.
Featured at the event was Robert G Clark Jr., who served in the state legislature from 1968 to 2003. He was the first African American elected to the MS House of Representatives since reconstruction. He told the crowd, even with the election of Barack Obama, Dr. King's dream is not yet complete. The challenges that lie ahead for Mississippi he said, depend greatly on continued progress in the Delta.

"If you were to take the Delta counties out of Mississippi, Mississippi would rank not last in the nation or next to the last. But, it would rank anywhere from 27th to 37th in this nation".

In fact the theme for Friday's event was "from King to Obama.. New Challenges for the 21st century". IMS Engineers of Jackson was also honored with a For My People Award for their continued efforts to save and revitalize historic black businesses and communities in the state. John Calhoun is Chief Executive officer.

"As the nation moves forward we in Mississippi need to move forward. We don't need a Northeast Mississippi a Southern Mississippi or a Central Mississippi. We need to all be one Mississippi. If and when we do that, all of us gonna move forward, rich, poor, black and white. All of us regardless of class, gonna move forward. And that's what King would want that's what Obama wants, that's what all of us should want. And that's what the challenge is for young people."

Toya, a JSU student from Clinton will not be making the trip to Washington, but she says as she watches the Inaugration fof Barack Obama tomorrow, she will be thinking also of Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

"Basically you have to look at the fact of who started all of this.And it was actually started kinda with Dr King and people before him. It's not just about Obama becoming President. . Yes he made a big step and changed History, but you actually have to look in the past to know what your future holds."

The Margaret Walker Alexander Research center at JSU sponsored the MLK Convocation event and the For My People Awards. For MPB News I'm Patty Davis