SUPrORT THE NATIONAL HOLIDAY NATIONAL CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR A DR. MARTÍN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY 339 LENOX AVENUE. .. ! -YARD BENNETT New York, N. 10027 Y. National Coordinator Dr. King's Legacy

¦ By BAYARD RUSTÍN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: A. PHIUP RANDOLPH INS7ITITE Iam strongly in iavor of wary of purely symbolic gains victims of society- to be. truly free, making Martin Luther King, Jr/s because they may be taken by for it is at once an effective form birthday a national holiday, but not many people as a substitution for of struggle and a guarantee that for the reasons that are often given the real thing: namely, the kind of the victims will not become the to justify such a momentous, social, political, and economic new oppressors. indeed radical, departure from -equality that was the objective of And Dr. King maintained bis tradition. - King's struggle. faith in integration throughout his " Dr. The arguments I y;r. countless Blacks Í. ... "*v More than any single individual, he recent years, and yet the violence are all based upon . ". 'fí _-/ was the symbol of racial reconcili- and the hatred that have been as- Dr. Pong's extraor- £? ation, and if the races in America sociated with these attacks have ¦?¦• dinary contribution ¿\. . "V--- are not reconciled with each other, only proved how vital integration ¦" to his people. There ¦ ~A this nation will not survive. The remains as an objective. Racial is also reference r--*\' \ "'; "J division between Black and white barriers can never lead to racial I'-^ ¿-l^-Ssl made to the psy- throughout American history peace but only to endless conflict. RUSTIN chological and sym- forms the core of our national Building a single society is not a bolic significance of creating a na- drama 2nd, as Gunnar Myrdal choice but a necessity. tional holiday in honor of a leader pointed out long ago. is the central Dr. King was a man of love, of a minority that has suffered so dilemma of American life. Dr. and for that he was loved, hated many centuries of oppression and King's life, work, and death dem- and mocked. We should appreciate spiritual side of his nature discrimination. way to resolve that the onstrated the it, Ifind these arguments compel- dilemma, and he should therefore without sentimentalizing for he acutely of ling, but in the end they are not be honored by the entire nation. was also aware the eco- in sufficient, for what is to prevent an nomic context which people live. King was able to maintain a not only in broth- Italian or a Jew or an Irishman Dr. He believed in is in erhood, from demanding similar recogni- balance his life that absent but also in the redistrib- the romantic and often suicidal wealth, engaged tion? One could argue, Ithink cór- ution of and he in notions of many so-called revolu- struggles He Tecly, that these minority groups toward that end. tionaries and in the narrow world for social of Americans have not suffered recognized the need a of conservatives as well. He saw program without nearly as much hardship as have and economic that democracy was not a sham basic Blacks, and that, therefore,, which we willnever solve the but a precious and fragile form of society. creating a national holiday for Dr. problems of our government, and that American King was a man for of King would be a form of just com- Or. £ll society, despite its terrible injus- challenged what is worst in pensation for a people sorely us. He so de- tices, be changed through >d. could our society by appealing to what is democratic struggle. His tre- best in our natures. Though he is But Idoubt that the majority of mendous achievements restored no longer with us he still symbol; Americans could be convinced that the faith of millions in the demo- izes our hopes and our ideals, the it is fair to single out one. minority cratic process. ideals of equality, freedom, and group above all others for special peace. By honoring him America treatment. Nor do Ithink that Change For Better wouldbe doing justice to itself, for creating a national holiday for pr. it would be creating a symbol —a King would be an adequate form of . He also saw that nonviolence day of national observance— of how compensation. It would be impor- wps not only morally necessary, we ¦ must behave toward one tant as a symbol, but it would but the only form of social struggle another if we are ever to realize hardJy do much to end dii-crimi- that could change the society for the principles upon which this na- '" na'ion and poverty. We should be the belter. It offers a way for the tion was established.