Office of the Mayor
Proclamation
Lawrence, Kansas
WHEREAS: Reserving certain days for recalling the legacy that the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King left us and thereby in rededicating ourselves to the truths that he strove for is a valuable activity; and
WHEREAS: The exceptional and separate character of our values and of our way of life are exemplified in national holidays such as Dr. King’s; and the theme of this celebration is “Reflections of 40: Vision of the Future;” and
WHEREAS: The liberties possible in the United States can only be achieved by reaffirming our citizenship and by expressing our hopes, dreams, and beliefs; and
WHEREAS: In 1963, Dr. King inspired us by stating, “This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy; now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice; now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood;…it would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment.”; and
WHEREAS: The City of Lawrence, Kansas, USD #497, the University of Kansas, and other community institutions are cooperating to support the activities planned for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration and urge local residents to take part in them;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Michael Dever, Mayor of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, do hereby proclaim the week of January 12-19, 2009 as