The 23rd ANNUAL Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HOLIDAY in Hawai’I 2011, International Year for People of African Descent Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition-Hawaii www.mlk-hawaii.com 1988-2011 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition – Hawai`i 2011 Officers: Patricia Anthony . .President Lee Gordon . 1st Vice President Juliet Begley . Secretary William Rushing . Treasure Co-Sponsor: City & County of Honolulu, Event Chairs: Candlelight Bell Ringing Ceremony: Marsha Joyner & Rev. Charlene Zuill Parade Chairs: William Rushing & Pat Anthony Unity Rally: Jewell McDonald Vendors: Juliet Begley Webmaster : Lee Gordon Coalition Support Groups: African American Association Hawaii Government Employees Association Hawaii National Guard Hawaii State AFL-CIO Hawaiian National Communications Corporation Headquarters US Pacific Command ‘Olelo: The Corporation for Community Television Kapa Alpha Phi Fraternity State of Hawai`i United Nations Association of Hawaii – Hawaii Division United States Military University of Hawaii Professional Assembly Booklet Editor: Marsha Joyner Copyright: Hawaiian National Communications Corporation, 2011. All rights reserved. Message from Mayor 2 Mayor’s Message 3 Table of Contents Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition – Hawai`i 2011 .................................................................1 Table of Contents........................................................................................................................4 THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. COALITION – HAWAI’I..................................7 Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.................................................................10 Justice is Indivisible ..........................................................................................................12 James Arthur Baldwin .......................................................................................................14 Literary career...........................................................................................................................14 Social and political activism......................................................................................................15 Inspirations ...............................................................................................................................16 Legacy ......................................................................................................................................16 The Martin Luther King You Don't See On TV.........................................................................18 Bayard Rustin- A stalwart of the Civil Rights Movement ..................................................22 Langston Hughes ......................................................................................................................36 The Women of the Civil Rights Movement........................................................................37 Women had key roles in Civil Rights Movement...............................................................38 Beauty Shop Politics: African American Women’s Activism in the Beauty Industry .........41 Madame C.J. Walker .........................................................................................................42 Remembering Dorothy Height...........................................................................................46 Gloria Blackwell (Rackley) ...............................................................................................49 Evangeline Jennings Hall ..................................................................................................50 Dorie Ann Ladner..............................................................................................................51 Carole Simpson's Network Battle Scars .............................................................................53 Carlotta Walls LaNier........................................................................................................56 Azira Gonzalez Sanchez Hill.............................................................................................57 Audrey Grevious ...............................................................................................................58 Victoria Jackson Gray Adams............................................................................................59 Patricia Stephens Due........................................................................................................60 Naomi King.......................................................................................................................61 Marian Wright Edelman ....................................................................................................62 Katie Booth.......................................................................................................................63 Katherine Elizabeth Butler Jones ......................................................................................64 Juanita Jackson Mitchell....................................................................................................65 Race & The Tea Party .......................................................................................................67 4 2011, International Year for People of African Descent "My People": “The night is beautiful, So the faces of my people. The stars are beautiful, So the eyes of my people Beautiful, also, is the sun. Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.” Langston Hughes 5 The History of Martin Luther King Day It took 15 years to create the federal Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday. Congressman John Conyers, Democrat from Michigan, first introduced legislation for a commemorative holiday four days after King was assassinated in 1968. After the bill became stalled, petitions endorsing the holiday containing six million names were submitted to Congress. Conyers and Rep. Shirley Chisholm, Democrat of New York, resubmitted King holiday legislation each subsequent legislative session. Public pressure for the holiday mounted during the 1982 and 1983 civil rights marches in Washington. Congress passed the holiday legislation in 1983, which was then signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. A compromise moving the holiday from Jan. 15, King's birthday, which was considered too close to Christmas and New Year's, to the third Monday in January helped overcome opposition to the law. National Consensus on the Holiday A number of states resisted celebrating the holiday. Some opponents said King did not deserve his own holiday—contending that the entire civil rights movement rather than one individual, however instrumental, should be honored. Several southern states include celebrations for various Confederate generals on that day. Arizona voters approved the holiday in 1992 after a tourist boycott. In 1999, New Hampshire changed the name of Civil Rights Day to Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. MLK Holiday Timeline 1968 - Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinated; Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., introduces legislation for federal holiday to commemorate King 1973 - Illinois is first state to adopt MLK Day as a state holiday 1983 - Congress passed, President Reagan signed, legislation creating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 1986 - Federal MLK holiday goes into effect 1987 - Arizona governor Evan Mecham rescinds MLK Day as his first act in office, setting off a boycott of the state. 1988 - Hawaii Passes legislation adopting Holiday 1989 - State MLK holiday adopted in 44 states 1991 - The NFL moves the 1993 Super Bowl site from Phoenix, Ariz., to Pasadena, Calif., because of the MLK Day boycott. 1992 - Arizona citizens vote to enact MLK Day. The Super Bowl is held in Tempe, Ariz. in 1996. 1993 - For the first time, MLK Day is held in some form—sometimes under a different name, and not always as a paid state holiday—in all fifty states. 1999 - New Hampshire becomes the last state to adopt MLK Day as a paid state holiday, replacing its optional Civil Rights Day. 2000 - Utah becomes the last state to recognize MLK Day by name, renaming its Human Rights Day state holiday. South Carolina becomes the last state to make MLK Day a paid holiday for all state employees. Until now, employees could choose between celebrating it or one of three Confederate-related holidays. 6 THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. COALITION – HAWAI’I 2011 is the 23rd anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday in Hawai`i. The Celebration has grown a lot over these years. The Holiday was officially proclaimed by the state legislature to be the 3 rd Monday of January. Beginning January 16, 1989. During the heady days of the 80s when the state had lots of money the Martin Luther King commission was formed by the state. The interim commission was formed July 1, 1989 to June 30 1990. Then a permanent commission was formed. The State of Hawai`i Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, (with commissioners from many different ethnic groups), won National awards for its scope and depth of the holiday celebrations. In 1995 as the state’s money dried up the commission was sunset. The remaining money was transferred to the Civil Rights Commission. To continue the work of the Commission, The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Coalition was incorporated in 1995 by a group of dedicated African-American residents of Honolulu. The coalition is a non-profit organization, which performs many community service events that carry on Dr. King's principles of peace for all mankind. To assist the fledging organization