April 7, 2008

“On this 40th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) celebrates the life of Dr. King and his enormous contributions to this country and, indeed, the rest of the world. Dr. King and the movement he started were the catalysts for the advancement of civil rights, the fight against poverty and the demand for international peace.

“The Conference of Mayors joined the movement in 1963 when President John F. Kennedy put race relations on the organization’s agenda. The nation’s mayors actively championed issues of civil rights in cities across the country and collectively pushed for the Voting Rights Act, the Public Accommodations Act, social programs and civil rights on the local level.

“Dr. King’s stance on civil rights, antipoverty and international peace continues to thrive within USCM today. The nation’s mayors have formed a Task Force on Poverty; mayors marched in Selma to commemorate the Voting Rights Act and Bloody Sunday; mayors passed a resolution against the Iraq War and support Mayors for Peace against the use of nuclear weapons; and mayors continuously fight for affordable housing, quality public education and healthcare for all.

“While we know that we have made tremendous strides, we are reminded on a daily basis that unequal justice of all kind is still alive and thriving in this country. Even in 2008, it is not unusual to hear or see news stories that feature blatant racial bias and show that racial tension exists just below the surface of American consciousness. And in cities large and small, mayors only have to look at the poorest neighborhoods in their cities to find discrimination and injustice looming in every realm of society. These inequities are attacks on basic human rights and threaten our entire American way of life.

“As we remember Dr. King and his legacy, let us learn from his words and actions and the way he lived. We must commit ourselves to doing what we can in our own lives to make a positive difference. Let us reach out to those who do not look like us, those who may not live where we live, and those who may not live how we live to spark constructive action that addresses systemic inequalities and, finally, rid our country of the ugly legacy of racism and classicism that has tainted our history for so long.”