It is a holiday today. The images from the flat screen tell us that is a good thing, since many people who would be otherwise be traveling to work will not. The snow and ice in our part of what used to be a Southern State will impede some commemorations, but it is one of the holidays we observe regardless of weather. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is one of our heroes.

When attending a conference in Atlanta one year in the now distant past, one of us ditched an afternoon of conference business to pay a visit to the Ebenezer Baptist Church in what is locally known as the “Sweet Auburn” community. It was a remarkable visit. The report of seeing the pulpit and the organ where his mother played, and to walk those streets from the Church to where Dr. King lies in repose on a quiet working day made an impact on us.

Ebenezer is a special place. A holy one. The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was baptized there as a child. After giving a trial sermon to the congregation at the age of 19, he was ordained a Minister. In 1960, he became a co-pastor in this church with his father, Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. He remained in that position until his murder in 1968.

We all have a sort of connection to the church, though not a liturgical one. All of us lived that day in which he was slain. In no small part, we became followers of what he preached. We believed in his courage, and we believed in the content of character.

All of us tried to live in accordance with his belief in our public lives, and reflected it in our private discourse. We are not a particularly devout crowd, but we do have a deep and abiding respect for a man who had the courage to stand against the state and its power. And he paid the ultimate price for it.

A hero? You bet. And we honor this day the same way we have treated it for a half century. Dr. King is one of our heroes.

Copyright 2022 Vic Socotra
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