Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Dear Howard University Community,
It is altogether fitting that, this year, we should commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day the same week we celebrate the historic inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the first Black person and the first woman ever to become vice president of the United States.
Dr. King represents both the progress we have made as a country as well as the work we have left to do. From the time he was born in 1929 until his tragic death in 1968, our country took tremendous strides in becoming a more equal, a more just and a more tolerant place. From 1968 until today, America has progressed even further. Vice President-elect Harris is a symbol of our country’s growth and development, but her rise does not represent a culmination or an endpoint. We still have further to go.
As we pause today to honor the life of Dr. King, let us remember the lessons he taught so that we may continue the forward march that he initiated in his lifetime. Let us listen to the cadence of his footsteps, the echo of his speeches, so that we may fall in step beside him and join our voice with his as we continue to propel his legacy forward.
For all of us here at Howard University, Dr. King is, of course, a source of inspiration. He is the figurehead of the civil rights movement, and we are still fighting for civil rights. He was enlightened and awakened in the cauldron of Morehouse College, a fellow historically Black college and university (HBCU).
But he is also an ideal source of inspiration for us because of the type of leader he was and the type of leader we should all strive to be.
Dr. King did not just have a dream – he also had a plan. He articulated a vision for our country and developed the means by which he was going to attain it. He was organized and strategic. He brought people together and empowered them to realize their individual potential in the context of larger orchestrated efforts. He was a charismatic and inspiring figure; but he was also a tactical and solution-oriented leader. As well as anyone, Dr. Kingsynthesized the power of word and deed in order to generate results.
Clearly, our country still has many problems. Many of the troubles and challenges that Dr. King encountered and worked to counter in his life are still with us today. His was not a dream deferred – but neither has it been fully realized.
In the year 2021, let us continue the work of Dr. King. There is space for each of us to stand on his shoulders and pick up his mantle in our own unique way. Most importantly, we should follow his example by finding our footing in life, discovering our purpose and having a plan to achieve it.
Dr. King was an inspiration to so many. It is my hope that, not only are each of us in the Howard community inspired by him, but that we may also inspire others through our own example of excellence, leadership and service.
May Dr. King remind us of how far we have come and embolden us to continue the work as we embrace all that remains to be done.
Excellence in Truth and Service,
Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA
Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery
President