Not only were many of these students committed to what was taking place, but we had colleagues linked to the different black groups. Some of these students were working with Student Non-violence Coordinating Committee (SNCC), some with Congress for Racial Equality, others were inclined towards the Nation of Islam, the Black Panthers and to Maulana Ron Rarenga's U.S. in California. There were however a sizable number of these students who were not politically involved. They shared the feelings of resentment against official segregation which was beginning to decline.In those days we had many meetings in our dormitories to articulate our readings of things in the country.

In retrospect, I would now say that Black agitation and demonstrations on the one hand, and the challenges of international politics heightened by the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, combined to prick the conscience of the political and business leadership to dismantle the fortresses of Jim Crowism. My memories of King's assassination bring back hopes and fears racing for first place in my mind. I had lived for almost a year in Mississippi in
1965 and his death in Memphis brought back all the images, stereotypes and fears known to me while studying and working with African Americans in that part of the country. I went to Saint s Junior College in Lexington, Mississippi. A school that went into extinction several years ago, but which laid the foundations for my journey to Hampton University and the University of Virginia. In one way, I could argue here that through the labors of Dr. King and others working for a better America during a turbulent period in our history, I too was a child of the Cold War and an offspring of the Civil Rights Movement. Since history is the connecting of countless personalities within the continuum of space and time at any particular moment in life, the connected dots that form the line of meaning and understanding about King's life and times would now make sense to young Sulayman from Africa. Brought to the U.S. by the labors of a Polish American, Leopold Dende who worked with the late Adam Clayton Powell from New York and people from the Teamsters Union, I too witness the transformation taking place in the social and economic life of the United States of America. To return to my recollection of memories, let me say that Mr. Dende was a devoted citizen who tried hard to make international youth and students love and admire America.

In looking at the impact of that day I should say that it affected my life. Not only did it inspire me to do more readings about the African American experiences but it forced me to engage Black America in a way most African Americans came to respect and appreciate over time.I have worked with and served in many African American groups over the years. Serving as a member of the board of the NAACP in Montgomery County in the 1980's was a memory I deeply appreciated. It linked my life with those of great persons from our county who did great things for the civil rights movement. During my time with the NAACP Roscoe Nix was our leader. A former U.S. government officer, he brought intelligence and patience in the handling of things

In writing about the relevance of Dr. King, I should say that his message and his tactics are still relevant. Not only did he Americanize Mahatma Gandhi's non-violence tactics but he taught Americans and the world how one man could combine the Constitution and the Bible to effect change in this country. Through this combination of these two powerful documents which give meaning to life here below and to our dreams about life beyond the grave as described and written in the scriptures, he touched many hearts. Not only did this man add to the history of rhetoric in the country, but he also galvanized a new community of Americans who believe that their people can climb higher on the mountain of faith and through their efforts changed the negative consequences of their ancestors' prejudices and antagonism. Dr. King's message is very relevant today when America' moral currency unfortunately has fallen and the U.S. dollar which in the past I have used as a good metaphor to show our capability to do better in the world of choices and chances,has also fallen. This fact was demonstrated to me recently when I visited Canada to speak at a university event in Toronto. In all my trips to that neighboring country,I always took pride in my dollar and my ability to spend more comfortably and joyously. This was a rude awakening.

In summing up my piece I should leave my readers with five things to remember about Dr. King. The first is his short life. Like Malcolm X (Elhaj Malik Shabazz) his rival in the pantheon of black heroes of the civil rights era, he too died before the age of forty from the bullets of an angry American who rejected his message and his behavior. Although their circumstances were not identical, both men are now treasured in varying degrees in the larger society.
Stamps have been issued in their honor and streets and institutions now carry their names. Secondly, Dr. King is not only a master in the world of civil rights and peace studies, but he is remembered for his speeches and his messages to black and white Americans. Google and other Internet services still carry his ten most widely quoted passages. Thirdly, one could also say that through the collaborative efforts of King and his partners in the civil rights struggle, Black America has made giant step forward, but the lingering woes and difficulties that besieged the community still remain. The poor one-third of Black Youth that languishes in jails across the country and the lower performance on college campuses and elsewhere is an ugly remind about what needs to be done. The fourth thing I have to say about Dr. King and his legacy lies in his attempts to use biblical words of inspiration to speak to power. This tradition of Moses and Jeremiah is not welcome by most people of power.

Disputes about his death will continue to reverberate in the firmaments of American political debates, but the fact remains that King spoke to an America that was dominated in both society and state by racism and segregation. However, history through its game of ironies and paradoxes has made America more racially diversified and hopefully more psychologically and sociologically transformed to carry out its world leadership role. Because of America's scientific and technological might humanity will for a long time hear the multiple voices of this land. King was a man who challenged injustice and racial violence in the country. He is now gone but his message and legacy can never be undone without doing harm to America. He was one major brick in the American shrine of hope and change in the world to come.