William F. Smith: “This bill commemorates the 80th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was the leader of a…”

“This bill commemorates the 80th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was the leader of a historic nonviolent revolution in the United States. Over the course of his life, he fought for equal justice and led the Nation toward racial harmony. While advancing this great movement, Dr. King's home was bombed and he was subjected to relentless personal and physical abuse. Despite this violence, Dr. King responded in peace and with strong conviction and sound reason. As a pastor, Dr. King's religious beliefs were essential to the success of his nonviolent efforts. It is doubtful that such a long and enduring movement could have survived without the power of religious inspiration behind it. From 1957 to 1968, Dr. King traveled over 6 million miles and spoke over 2,500 times about justice and equal freedom under the law. During that time, he led large protests in Birmingham, Alabama, that drew the attention of the world. On August 28, 1963, Dr. King led a peaceful march of 250,000 through the streets of Washington, D.C. And it is here in this city where he delivered a speech that spoke for all Americans, regardless of the color of their skin.”