Cobb County Remembers King

Just as tens of thousands across the nation remembered and celebrated the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, more than 700 Cobb County residents packed into the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre for county's 25th annual observance of the holiday, entitled "Keeping the Dream Alive: Continuing the Journey."

Sponsored by the county and the Cobb County chapter of the NAACP, participants celebrated King’s legacy through word, dance and song. Representatives from each of the county's six municipalities were present, including Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin.

“He indeed is one of the greatest Americans that ever lived,” Tumlin said about King. “Today, we need to seek justice as Dr. King did and chose love over pain."

Master of Ceremonies Eric Philips of WSB-TV agreed: “King Day is always a big deal. I can’t lose sight of the fact of the sacrifices that Dr. King and others made.”

The morning performances and speeches reflected upon King's stance for justice, equality and human rights for all man kind. Attendees contemplated the fact that he traveled more than six million miles and spoke more than 2,500 times, often appearing wherever there was injustice, protest and action.

King wrote five books as well as numerous articles and was the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He is perhaps best known for leading the march on Washington D.C., where he delivered the famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Appropriately, songs such as "A Change is Going to Come," "Stand," "Man in the Mirror" and "Never Would Have Made It" were among those performed. Speeches and poems about love, reaching one's potential and racism were also performed. This 25th anniversary celebration made room for all ages to participate. Performers included young and older adults as well as college, high school and elementary school students.

Georgia Attorney General and former Cobb commission chairman Sam Olens, an East Cobb resident, and Lee Rhyant, former general manager of Lockheed Martin, were named recipients of the "Living the Dream" Award as two community members who exemplify King's ideals. The audience also participated in the production by singing the unofficial black national anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

A persistent question throughout the program was: How does the journey continue? Cobb County NAACP President Deane Bonner described it as getting an education to ensure a great future, getting out to vote, fighting unemployment by becoming entrepreneurs, and grooming African-American boys to grow up to be honorable, responsible and respectable men.

“Keep kids in school to learn and to become productive citizens,” Bonner said. “You know that you came from queens and kings, so you must act like so.”

Others echoed Bonner's comments, saying that continuing the dream also involves getting involved in community service, building the bridge between whites and blacks and all nationalities through race relations, and showing genuine love to others and not acting in hate or violence.

David Howell from the Cobb Chamber of Commerce told the audience that its presence displayed a strong commitment to what Martin Luther King stood for.

“He is a man that changed the world,” he added.

Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews said King's misson in life was about giving everyone the opportunity to live their dream.

“Our charge today and every day is that we may too keep the dream alive.”