MLK Day

NORTHVILLIANS,

MLK Day 2023 is quickly approaching. Accordingly, this week I wanted to honor this extremely important individual in our American landscape, Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., who truly had an impact on all of our lives.

I feel encouraged by all the engagement from our community citizens, which we celebrated in last week’s note, Dreams, as well as the trajectory of progress on our “Way Forward Path.” Your daily efforts are felt in more ways than you can imagine. In this week’s letter, we will be touching on activities surrounding Martin Luther King Day (MLK), his DREAMS, and related happenings in our historical past.

Martin Luther King tributes and the history behind them…

As I have always said, we are all standing on the shoulders of those that have come before us – both those who have given us an impressive history of Northville accomplishments AND those who have formed our nation’s history. Let’s take a look at a bit of MLK history.

One of my favorite MLK quotes is from his famous I HAVE A DREAM speech:

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men [and women] are created equally.”

• MLK Day (as you know) is a national holiday honoring the outstanding achievements of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a Baptist minister who advocated the use of nonviolent means to end racial segregation and relentlessly championed unity & equality.
  
  • Ronald Reagan was President when legislation was passed for this national holiday, which honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
     
  • Notably, Detroiter John Conyers (longest-serving African American legislator in congressional history) first introduced the legislation in 1968, four days after the assassination of Martin Luther King.
     
  • After 15 years of persistent support, MLK Day was approved with Ronald Reagan’s signature in 1983.
    
• Today, it is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer and improve their communities, as many of you do in the Ville.

Next week we will continue to talk about Equality and Equal Rights as it relates to Northville‘s role in the Underground Railroad and its multiple stations within our locality. I thank each and every one of you for assisting the Northville Community in achieving its Dreams. Keep that spirit and trajectory of progress in your own personal lives. Enjoy your Journey and make your own personal Dreams become Reality.

Be Bold, Take some Risks and we will all Win as a Team … the Northville TEAM!

Keep that Community Equality Faith!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849

(Reach out to me anytime or forward this communication to others interested.)

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