Oakland shares King's 'Vietnam' speech

Oakland shares King's 'Vietnam' speech

(EXCERPT) Community members join in continuous reading of civil
rights' leader's anti-war stance, by Ali Fard, CORRESPONDENT

OAKLAND -- Community members came together Friday for a continuous
reading of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1967 speech, "Beyond Vietnam,"
outside of the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland.

The event "End The Nightmare; Bring Back The Dream" was sponsored by
Peoples' Nonviolent Response Coalition, and had participants ranging
from Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates to director James Brooks reciting King's
impassioned speech about the withdrawal of troops in Vietnam.

The "Beyond Vietnam" speech was delivered by King in New York City
exactly a year before he was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn.

From around 12:30 p.m. to sundown, people signed up to continually
read the speech, taking turns after each section. Before beginning,
community activists and governmental officials spoke about the impact
of King's speech and its importance today.

"The governor of California and the President of the United States,
through their budget practices, are making Dr. King's dream a
nightmare," said Congresswoman Barbara Lee, D-Oakland.

Others talked about how Monday's holiday is celebrated only as a
soundbyte for King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

"It's nice to have events King would have been comfortable going to,"
said professor Clayborne Carson, who oversees the King, Jr. Papers
Project at Stanford University. "We need to inject King back into the
King holiday."

Other local events to commemorate King's birthday will be held
include:

Sunday -- The Oakland Jazz Choir will present "In The Name of Love," a
musical tribute to King, $12-$22, 7:30 p...

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---------------------------
Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com