Battle To Honor Dr. King's Words

Jet, Sept 17, 2001

BATTLE TO HONOR DR. KING'S WORDS: A group of Black lawmakers led by Alabama state Rep. Alvin Holmes (kneeling with glasses), prays in the lobby of the State Judicial Building in Montgomery, AL. In honor of the 38th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s historic address from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., Holmes and fellow Black legislators attempted to place a display--a 3-by-4-foot plaque containing excerpts of King's "I Have A Dream" speech--next to a monument featuring the Ten Commandments which was recently installed in the rotunda of the building.

Authorities informed Holmes that he could not bring the plaque inside and that Chief Justice Roy Moore would decide what artifacts could be displayed. Joined by at least 50 supporters, Holmes and the delegation of Black officials left the building singing "We Shall Overcome." Holmes told the media they would continue to fight for installation of the King monument.