Rev. King's legacy 'alive and well,' says leadership conference head

Published: 2007-01-11

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (CNS) -- "I have a dream," the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said more than four decades ago from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. This simple phrase still has the compelling strength to evoke the slain civil rights leader's likeness and message in the minds of countless people throughout the world. "His legacy is alive and well," said Charles Steele, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, speaking about his institution's founder in a telephone interview with the Catholic Explorer, newspaper of the Diocese of Joliet. This year the federal holiday commemorating Rev. King's birthday is Jan. 15; he was born Jan. 15, 1929. Launched by Rev. King in 1957, the conference is an Atlanta-based advocacy organization committed to achieving social, political and economic justice through nonviolent actions, said Steele. Staff counselors and other employees advocate "Kingian nonviolence," a philosophy designed by Rev. King that underlines peaceful problem-solving strategies and techniques, he explained.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .