Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte: The Life and Mission of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Will Never Die

Brooklyn, NY – On this day, April 4th, 1968, the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was taken by an assassin's bullet at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, TN. This is a day that did not just impact America, but it changed the world.

Dr. King was recognized around the world for his efforts towards peace and equality in a land that did not want to include everyone, and violently made that clear. He was looked upon as a pest and a nuisance by some and was revered as a hero and a leader by those who understood his desire.

Dr. King was in Memphis as part of the Poor People's Movement. After the historic push for Civil Rights, which resulted in landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1965, and the Voting Rights Act of 1964, Dr. King recognized the economic vulnerability of many Americans. The Poor People's Movement was a movement that he would never see materialize but is something that we still need today.

Dr. King represented the moral fabric of a conflicted society. He was a visionary and a consistent voice for justice. 50 years later, many of the same ills that afflicted this country remain ever present.

We honor Dr. King, by not just working towards his dream, but by completing the mission. We must continue the push for justice, and economic equality. We must remain vigilant, determined and unified. If we do not, keep pushing we will be pushed over. The consequences of the latter will have devastating and lasting effects on everything that we have worked for. Now, more than ever, the onus is on us.