On MLK Day

I remember a trip to Atlanta about twelve years ago during which I visited The King Center. I remember the visit each year particularly on this day, as it was a moving experience and a stark reminder that people like Martin Luther King, Jr. emerge in this world far too infrequently and that his work is still so far from finished.

I consider many of the current celebrities who claim to have succeeded him in his cause to be charlatans at their very best. In light of that, it is important to keep his legacy alive, in as honest a manner as possible. Please consider a donation to the King Center, or a similar gesture, as a way to help in that capacity. Its mission is:

• To develop and disseminate programs that teach the world about Dr. King's philosophy of nonviolence and interracial cooperation through network organizations
• To build a national and international network of organizations that, through sanctioned programs, raise awareness and understanding of Dr. King's legacy and continue his teachings
• To monitor and report on the impact of Dr. King's legacy on the world
• To maintain visitor services for the Freedom Hall complex in Atlanta; with over 630,000 visitors annually, the King Center is the most visited cultural and tourist attraction in the Southeast United States
• To provide historical reference resources on the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the modern civil rights movement through the King Library and Archives