Office of the Mayor
Proclamation
Lawrence, Kansas
WHEREAS: The theme of the 26th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration is “Beyond the Dream: Now What” and by such an event, we are reaffirming our rights as citizens and the liberties possible in the United States and thereby expressing our hopes, dreams, and beliefs; and
WHEREAS: The exceptional and separate character of our values is expressed in national holidays such as Dr. King’s which exemplify our way of life; and
WHEREAS: We recall the legacy that the Reverend Dr. King created and we rededicate ourselves to the truths that he strove for, and thus engage in the valuable activity of reserving a day or days towards that end; and
WHEREAS: In 1968, the Reverend Dr. King stated: “History has thrust upon our generation an indescribably important destiny---to complete a process of democratization upon which our nation has too long developed too slowly. How we deal with this crucial situation will determine our moral health as individuals, our cultural health as a region, our political health as a nation, and our prestige as a leader of the free world.”; and
WHEREAS: The City of Lawrence, Kansas, USD #497, the University of Kansas, along with 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, Mike Amyx, Mayor of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, do hereby proclaim the week of January 10 - 17, 2011 as