Saturday, August 28th marks the 47th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s powerful and influential ‘I Have a Dream’ speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Rep. Clarke released the following statement celebrating the anniversary of this groundbreaking speech:

“It was August 28th, 1963, and the greatest civil rights coalition in modern history had descended upon Washington. It was here where Dr. King shared his awesome vision for a better America that forever changed the course of history. He envisioned an America where ‘… little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.’ It is in this same spirit that I encourage all Americans to celebrate and remember this day in history.

“Dr. King spoke of a unified America, where people of all backgrounds would be able to join hands together in freedom. Let us not allow others to use this day as a way to divide this nation and taint the legacy of Dr. King. That is why I praise the efforts of today’s civil rights organizers for hosting the ‘Reclaim the Dream Rally’ as they uphold the principals of the civil rights movement. On this important day, let us look back at the progress we have made but remind ourselves that we have a long way to go.”

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