WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – Ahead of MLK Day, the 88th Air Base Wing will honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with a special guest speaker event Jan. 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the USO Center.
The enduring Department of Defense theme for MLK Day is “Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not A Day Off!” The day is dedicated to encouraging and empowering Americans to work together to make a positive change in their communities.
The 88 ABW Special Observance Committee will host Rev. David Fox, a Dayton native and retired police chief, who will discuss his involvement with NAACP and background in the civil rights movement. The event is open to the base community.
“It is my hope that we can all take this single day of the year to reflect on history, embrace the present and continue to strive for a progressive future in respect to diversity and inclusion,” said Master Sgt. Kelaine Smith, 88 ABW Special Observance Committee member.
From Department of Defense Education Activity:
Dr. King advocated for nonviolent resistance to overcome injustice as a means of lifting racial oppression. He created change with organized sit-ins, marches, and peaceful demonstrations that highlighted issues of inequality. Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964; he was the youngest person to ever receive this high honor. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father by entering the ministry to become a Baptist minister. On April 4, 1968, at the age of 39, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee as he stood on the balcony of his hotel. Dr. King traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to lead a march in support of striking sanitation workers.
The time is always right to do what is right.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.