[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 28, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E461]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL WITHIN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

                                 ______


                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 28, 1995
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce legislation to 
authorize the establishment of a memorial, on Federal land within the 
District of Columbia, to Martin Luther King, Jr.
  Alpha Phi Alpha, which Dr. King joined in Boston on June 22, 1952, is 
one of the oldest African-American fraternities in the Nation. With 
more than 700 chapters in 42 States, its members include some of the 
most prominent leaders and distinguished officials within the United 
States. The fraternity wishes to honor Dr. King's remarkable role with 
a memorial in the Nation's Capitol. It is the fraternity's belief that 
a memorial will provide a tangible recognition that will assist in 
passing Dr. King's message from generation to generation. Alpha Phi 
Alpha will coordinate the design, construction, maintenance and funding 
of the monument. The bill provides that the monument be established 
entirely with private contributions and at no cost to the Federal 
Government. The Department of the Interior, in consultation with the 
National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Commission on 
Fine Arts, will select the site and approve the design.
  I am very pleased to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as one of 
our Nation's greatest leaders in the ongoing struggle to achieve full 
equality for all of our citizens. In a very short lifespan of 39 years, 
this man created a moral, political and religious revolution that is 
indelible within the minds and hearts of Americans. As a man of peace, 
Dr. King recognized that along with freedom comes a strong measure of 
responsibility and accountability from all Americans. He showed us that 
civil rights is not just a struggle for the rights of black Americans, 
but a struggle to ensure the rights of all Americans. His gospel often 
proclaimed that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
  Dr. King's mission is still unfinished. Racism and inequality, 
distrust and misunderstanding continue to divide us as a Nation. We 
must continue to challenge the American conscience and strive to create 
economic and civil equality for all of our citizens. For the future 
youth of our country, a memorial will provide a tangible reminder of 
our Nation's history and to our relentless struggle to eliminate 
injustice and prejudice.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. King dedicated his life to achieving economic and 
civil equality for all Americans, through nonviolent means. I believe 
that he made an indelible impression, of what one individual can do, on 
the minds and hearts of all Americans. I believe that a memorial would 
provide a tangible symbol to our Nation's youth of this country's 
commitment to economic, social, and legal justice. I therefore urge my 
colleagues to join me in this effort to ensure that the essential 
principles of justice and equality among our citizenry are never 
forgotten.


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