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A 57-year-old dream still in the making

Palestine Herald-Press - 1/18/2020

Jan. 17--Nearly six decades have passed since Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. eloquently called for civil and economic rights and an end to racism.

Celebrating the federal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, local African-Americans said society has come a long way toward realizing the kind of nation espoused in the I Have a Dream speech King delivered to 250,000 people during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. But progress has been uneven, they said, especially in the criminal justice system.

"There has been great change in America since Dr. King's message," Betty Nickerson, 71, told the Herald-Press Thursday. "Since we've stopped being held back because of the color of our skin, we've been able to accomplish more and therefore feel better about ourselves."

Nickerson is the co-founder and director of Palestine'sMulti-Cultural Education Center, a non-profit charity that aims to meet the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of Anderson County residents, regardless of race.

"Dr. King paved the way, but its up to us to put his sacrifices to use," she said. "We don't have to enter through the back door anymore; no one can hold us back."

Anderson County resident, and U.S. Navy Iraqi War veteran Marvin Green agrees society has made strides since the 60's -- but African-Americans are still held back -- particularly in the criminal justice system.

"We are very close," Green, 45, told the Herald-Press. "The criminal justice system is the last hurdle we have to overcome."

The United States is the world's leading incarcerator, with African Americans making up nearly half of the more than 2 million people in the nation's prisons and jails.

An economically segregated public school system, where affluent, or even middle class areas, offer more services and opportunities than offered in predominantly black inner-city schools is partially to blame, Green said.

"I also believe the schools are crippling many young people and setting them up for failure," Green said. "If you don't spend the money, the quality's not going to be there. I would love to see colleges adopt high schools and do mentoring to those schools."

Green also cited a lack of training at chronically understaffed police departments across the nation.

"There's a rush to fill spots on the police force, due to the lack of applicants," he said. "Also, the 'blue shield' lacks accountability for its actions."

The 21st century civil rights agenda, Green said, should focus on incarceration, probation, and parole.

"If we address these issues, society as a whole benefits," he said. "Incarceration for nonviolent crimes and minor drug offenses has lasting effects on the population, and leads to higher rates of recidivism.

"Being able to pay your debt to society and eventually have your record cleared is key," Green said. "Bad credit goes off you record after seven years, but a minor drug offense stays a lifetime."

One hope for the future of racial unity, Green said, is music.

Hip-hop, the traditionally African-American form of musical expression made popular in the '90's by artists such as the Wu Tang Clan, Jay Z, and Dr. Dre, has today been appropriated into all types of music, worldwide.

"It has crept into country music, rock, and other forms of music dominated by white culture," Green said. "With that infusion into different styles of music, what we are seeing is that music has become a uniting force, bringing different cultures into one group.

"With that type of cultural influence on one another, kids will be more connected and grounded than any other generation in America."

Nickerson and Green agree Americans should honor Dr. King's legacy by making a greater effort to work together, irrespective of race, creed, sex, or religion.

"All people have to work together, or we will fail," Nickerson, who remembers listening to King's 'I have a dream' speech in 1963, said. "A house divided cannot stand, and we cannot make a better world if we do not stand together."

To have the tough conversations necessary, Green said, people have to be willing to think outside the color of their box.

"Many of our issues occur because we are not making it a priority to get to know people who don't look and think like us," he said. "We have to go outside of our comfort zones to bridge the gap between our neighbors and ourselves. Anyone can complain about a situation, but how we can fix it needs to occupy the majority of the conversation."

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