Remembering the dream

The word "color" describes a visual attribute of objects that results from the light they emit, transmit or reflect. Color used to refer to skin has divided and facilitated ignorance in the past as well as today. But another use of the noun "color" means interest, variety and intensity, which is what united Bloomington citizens Monday night in a community-wide celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.\nThe sounds of children singing, the intense harmony of a choir and the booming vibration of a hearty laugh were all part of the 2005 MLK Day commemoration, which began with a reception at the First United Methodist Church, 219 E. Fourth Street and ended with a speech by award-winning civil rights author and activist Constance Curry at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. Curry has been a noted civil rights activist for more than 40 years and was a friend of King's. She also has written books tracing the struggles of unsung heroes of the civil rights movement. Curry said she was inspired to become the civil rights leader that she is today while she attended IU. \n"Oddly enough, right here on campus was one big place of inspiration," Curry said. "I was at the Student Union in 1954 representing my school, Agnes Scott College, in a debate. One of the topics discussed was desegregation in higher education. This really opened my eyes, and my Irish parents taught me about justice, so six years later I became involved in the movement."\nOther features of the program were words from Rev. Bruce Rose, pastor of the Second Baptist Church, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan and an introduction by IU President Adam Herbert. The ceremony also featured the smooth, angelic sounds of pieces composed by IU's own jazz professor David Baker and the powerful voices of the IU African American Choral Ensemble, as well as a local children's choir.\nThe theme of the event was "A day on, not a day off," and the ceremony not only celebrated how far the community has come in promoting true equality and diversity but also noted how far Bloomington has to go. \n"People need to remember Dr. King's legacy for both the justice and human rights of it," said Beverly Calender-Anderson, chairwoman of the Martin Luther King Holiday Commission. "Young people need to remember his legacy to find examples of standing up for themselves and fighting for justice."\nMayor Kruzan spoke out against forgetting King and the ongoing race problems that still harm the community. "'Out of sight, out of mind' is a threat to our community; recognizing injustice is the first step in stopping it," Kruzan said. "Every day should have the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Day."\nOne example of youth involvement in the ceremony was Jonathan Piland, a student from Ivy Tech, who attended both the reception and ceremony. "I came out because I felt like I needed to know more about Martin Luther King," Piland said. "He fought for peace and freedom, and that's why I decided to spend today as a 'day on.'"\nDespite the celebratory atmosphere, all of the speakers at the event agreed there was still work to be done.\n"There is still a lot of racism, and people think the answer is in diversity, but that's usually where a big group of white people decides to include a Hispanic or black person," Curry said. "The real solution is people talking with each other, where we don't act like we control everything."\n-- Contact City & State Editor Mike Wilson at mhwilson@indiana.edu.