April 12, 2007

THE REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL UNVEILED

---Unveiling Ceremony Followed by the Westchester/King
Making a Difference Awards Given To Illustrious Group of
Community Leaders Carrying On King Legacy of Social Justice---

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Westchester County’s Memorial to Dr. King unveiled
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They were neighbors and friends years ago in Montgomery, Alabama--- the minister who would become America’s greatest civil rights leader and the kid he inspired to become one of Westchester’s foremost political figures.

Seven years ago, Clinton I. Young Jr. (D-Mount Vernon), Vice Chair of Westchester’s Board of Legislators, started what would turn into a seven year campaign to create an appropriate memorial on behalf of the county to pay tribute to his hero and mentor, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. That effort culminated in the unveiling last Thursday of a $500,000 lifelike statue of Dr. King on the plaza in front of the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains. For Young, who joined King in his Selma to Montgomery civil rights march, the unveiling was an important milestone.

Young and several others shared their reflections at a ceremony prior to the unveiling, which also featured choral selections by the New Rochelle Renaissance Ensemble. Many speakers noted that Dr. King’s legacy is important to all Americans, not just the African American community that was the focus of his civil rights efforts.

“Each day of my adult life I’ve reflected on what Dr. King meant to me and to the world and on the lessons he taught us. I hope this statue will prompt others to do the same. If each of us shares Dr. King’s beautiful dream, then it will truly become a reality,” said Young. “This statue isn’t just about memorializing a great man; it’s about ensuring that Dr. King continues to inspire those of us who knew him as well as countless others in future generations.”

The 12-foot bronze statue, with Dr. King’s left arm outstretched and a Bible under his other arm, sits on a 6-foot base featuring a quote from the 1963 letter Dr. King wrote from the Birmingham, Alabama jail: “Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere.”

“I am very grateful for the full support this project received from my colleagues on the County Board that funded the project as well as from the County Executive,” Young said. “In particular, I’d like to acknowledge the enthusiastic backing of Bill Ryan who fast-tracked the project once he became Board Chair.” 

Bill Ryan, Chair of Westchester’s Board of Legislators, spoke of the significance of the statue’s placement at the Courthouse, located on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, across from the Michaelian Office Building, the seat of democratic government in the county.

“It’s important to note the placement of this fine memorial to Dr. King. Unlike other parts of the country where tributes honoring Dr. King can be found in predominantly black neighborhoods, our memorial to Dr. King is in a central downtown location,” Ryan said. “The statue is prominently and appropriately located outside the County’s Courthouse where, thanks to the efforts of Dr. King and the civil rights movement he led, equal justice under the law applies to all races, ethnicities and religions.” 

Civil rights activist and humanitarian Dick Gregory recalled that non-violence was a hallmark of King’s life and his legacy and quoted his belief that, “I’d rather be killed by a person than kill someone.” Gregory said that as a result of Dr. King’s efforts in the civil rights movement from 1956 to his assassination in 1968, “The whole world changed.”

County Executive Andrew Spano also expressed his admiration for King’s philosophy of non-violence, saying that the pursuit of change through non-violent actions “should be a message to all of us.”

Actress, activist and humanitarian Ruby Dee read a poem she had written for Dr. King several years ago. Dr. King was “preacher, teacher, man who let his Godness shine through,” she said.

And the Rev. Richard H. Dixon, a close associate of Dr. King who traveled with him when he received the Nobel Prize for Peace, said, “The dream of Dr. King is still alive.” He called on those in attendance “to make this a better world.”

The bronze statue was created by Milton L. Sherrill, a Mount Vernon resident, whose works grace both private and museum collections. Young said many artists sought to create the statue but that Sherrill’s vision “stood head and shoulders above the rest.”

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The Westchester/King Making a Difference Awards
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The unveiling was followed by the “Westchester/King Making a Difference Awards” ceremony at the C.V. Rich Mansion in White Plains. CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the event.

The Making a Difference award was given to community leaders who carried on and paid tribute to Dr. King’s legacy by placing the ideals of social justice at the forefront of their lives. Included in this illustrious group were Ruby Dee who received the King Lifetime Achievement Award; Bill Ryan, Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators; Rodney Reynolds, Publisher of American Legacy Magazine; Richard Berman, Manhattanville College President; and Jeanine Rose, News Director for News12 Westchester; Carmen Gomez-Goldberg, President of the Yonkers Puerto Rican and Hispanic Parade and President of Coachman Corp.; and, Stephen Sansone, community activist and advocate.

During a surprise video presentation, Ruby Dee was moved to tears when long-time friends Sidney Poitier and Camille Cosby appeared on screen for a personal tribute to honor Dee's commitment to community service. Then Poitier gave a special thanks to Young for his tireless efforts in spear heading the quest to make the MLK Memorial become a reality.

All proceeds from the award ceremony benefited the Association for Community-Based Artists of Westchester (AC-BAW). For over 31 years AC-BAW has served hundreds of thousands of students throughout Westchester and New York State through a variety of programs in schools and at their art gallery on South Fourth Avenue in Mount Vernon.