Courtesy Photo | Col. Patrick E. Matlock, the 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team commander, gives the...... read more read more
BAUMHOLDER, Germany - For many Soldiers, a four-day weekend simply means no work, extra time to relax with family, and leisure activities. Leaders with the equal opportunity office, U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder and 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team purposed to highlight the reason behind the national holiday by honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.
More than 300 soldiers and members of the Baumholder community gathered at the Rheinlander club here for an observance and breakfast commemorating King Jan. 25.
King delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech, originally titled “Normalcy Speech,” after the march on Washington in hopes of ending racial segregation and changing the status quo of his time.
After months of planning, Sgt. 1st Class William A. Mace, the USAG Baumholder equal opportunity advisor, and his 170th IBCT counterpart, Sgt. 1st Class Sean T. Allison, decided to present a lesser known piece by King through a live reenactment of the writing of “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
Before the presentation, soldiers and community members walked single file through a buffet line of scrambled eggs, bacon and other breakfast items prepared by the Rheinlander club staff. After making hearty plates of breakfast goodies, members of attendance quickly returned to their seats for the next portion of the observance.
"This year’s observance theme for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is, ‘remember, celebrate, and act!’ A day on and not a day off," said Mace, a Tampa, Fla., native. "This theme reminds us all to remember the past, celebrate our accomplishments, and act to ensure further progress continues.”
"Many soldiers, including myself, didn't have background knowledge about this letter by Dr. King," said Allison, a Mason City, Iowa native. "And many may not have known that he was actually jailed for his non-violent acts and was in solitary confinement when he originally wrote the letter. Our presentation will give soldiers and those here additional knowledge of events that led to the success of Dr. King in the civil rights movement.”
Col. Patrick E. Matlock, the 170th IBCT commander, gave the opening remarks. He reminded those in attendance how much this country has accomplished and to consider all that has yet to be achieved.
During the presentation, two female vocalists separately sang a gospel hymn, "His Eye is on the Sparrow," and a song by Sam Cooke, "It’s Been a Long Time Coming," that were reminiscent of King’s era. The observance also included the reading of a tribute essay from the winner of Baumholder High School's essay contest. The winning writer was selected by USAG Baumholder leaders and awarded a $100 U.S. savings bond donated by the Baumholder Community Spouses’ Club.
The live, role-playing performance by Christian N. Thompson, a child and youth management systems technology specialist with Child, Youth and School-aged Services, gave the audience a reenacted glimpse into what it may have looked like as King penned the poignant “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
The scene began as Thompson sat at a wooden desk-like table with pen in hand writing on a newspaper against a small brick wall backdrop. A solitary cot just a few inches from the table completed the scene of King's cell. A narration of the letter accompanied the performance.
Because King didn't have paper, he began to write the letter on toilet paper. It wasn't until his lawyer gave him a newspaper that he began to write his letter in the newspaper’s margins, said Allison.
"When my dad was eighteen, he participated in the marches that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. held in Mississippi," said Thompson, a Warrenton, Va., native. "So for me to take part in the commemoration of his life by reenacting this scene, it takes on a whole new personal meaning in my life. It shows how far we have really come.”
The performance placed the final touches on the celebration and showcased USAG Baumholder’s and 170th IBCT’s leadership’s commitment to honor King and others like him, who have made significant impacts on the nation.
"What we want the soldiers to walk away with is a better understanding on just how much Dr. King sacrificed. We want to convey the personal sufferings that he endured that propelled him to help change our nation," said Mace.
| Date Taken: | 01.25.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 01.28.2011 05:55 |
| Story ID: | 64371 |
| Location: | BAUMHOLDER, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, DE |
| Web Views: | 193 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, MLK honored at USAG Baumholder Rheinlander Club, by SPC Jazz Burney, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
