Tag Archives: history

I Had a Dream

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Introduction

“I had a dream” is  probably the most well know of Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s many speeches.

The Monument

Our next stop on the tour of the Tidal basin is the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. The memorial is 30 ft high, located between the Jefferson & Lincoln Memorials on the National Mall.

Dr. King appears to be stepping out of a mountain of stone. As you approach the Monument you pass through a cut between two large boulders.  It made me think of psalm 23, “Yea though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death”.

The boulders are meant to represent the Mountain of Despair which has been split in two. Dr. King’s likeness emerges as if stepping from a solitary boulder, the Stone of Hope. On the visible side the words “Out of the Mountain of despair, a Stone of Hope” is carved into the stone. The phrase comes from Dr. King’s “I have a Dream” speech.

Some History

  • It was 48 years after Dr King’s famous speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial before the Dr. King Jr memorial opened. Originally scheduled for August 22, 2011 opening day was delayed by Hurricane Irene. It finally opened on October 16, 2011.
  • There is a lot of negative press today around Sororities and Fraternities, but the driving force behind Dr King’s memorial was Alpha Phi Alpha, the fraternity that opened its membership doors to Dr. King.
  • More than 900 applicants from 52 countries submitted bids to build the memorial.
  • The address for the memorial is 1964 Independence Ave., referencing the 1964 Civil Rights act.
  • The Cherry Trees are positioned so that it will appear that Dr King is gazing at them.
  • The memorial is the fourth in Washington, DC to honor a non-president and the first to honor a man of color.
  • Surrounding the statue of Dr. King is a 450-foot long Inscription Wall, which features 14 quotes from King’s speeches, sermons and writings. Quotes were chosen with Dr. King’s four main principles in mind: justice, democracy, hope and love.

Getting There

I reached the Memorial by taking a tour but if you are traveling on your own the site is accessible by either the Metro (subway) or Metrobus.  If traveling by bus, use the 32, 34 or 36 Metrobus routes. The closest Metro stop is Smithsonian, on the Orange, Blue and Silver lines.

Conclusion

The stone of Hope, with Dr. King’s image standing boldly from its depths, is a message encouraging  all citizens to forever strive for justice and equality. A message never more timely than today with violence in our cities, war in the world and rampart discrimination against immigration, especially Muslims.   To borrow from a 60’s ballad  (Where have all the Flowers gone), When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

 

 

 

Major General Winfield Scott Hancock Statue

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There I was…standing in the icy rain. A cold wind was blowing. I looked around for something to do for an hour plus while I waited for the tour. Nothing seemed to be open but as I turned to head back to the subway (where at least it was warm) I spotted a man riding a horse. Well actually a statue of a man riding a horse.

The monument stands next to the elevator to the Metro and across  Pennsylvania Ave from the National Archives.

It’s also very close to the US Naval Memorial.

I looked at the engraving identifying the rider as General Winfield Scott Hancock. I’d never heard of him. General Winfield Scott (Old Fuss and Feathers) was a Civil War general but this fellow had a “Hancock” added onto his name. I looked both Generals up and both served in the Civil War for the Union. This general’s nick name was (“Hancock the Superb”).

There were a few similarities : both Generals ran for president and both were defeated. But more specific to General Hancock was his reputation for integrity which was rare in the corruption of the era. Hancock was only narrowly defeated by James Garfield in his run for president in 1880.

General Hancock lived a storied life with much of it committed to the service of the country. He served as  a second lieutenant in the Mexican War, joined the Union Army and was rapidly promoted to brigadier general. He was a new corp commander at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Hancock’s corp was crucial in the battle at Cemetery Ridge (Pickett’s Charge). Hancock himself sustained wounds in that battle that continued to plague him for the rest of his life.

The Memorial that stands on Pennsylvania Ave was dedicated  May 12, 1886 right after his death. President Grover Cleveland commissioned the memorial at a cost of $50,000.00 which was a lot at that time. The statue is a dedication to the Civil War as well as the General.  Before his life ended on Feb 9, 1886, General Hancock had dedicated forty years of his life to the United States Army.

Seems to me he earned that statue!

 

 

 

The Ides Of March

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In modern times, the Ides of March is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC. Caesar was stabbed to death at a meeting of the senate. As many as 60 conspirators, led by Brutus and Cassius, were involved. According to Plutarch, a seer had warned that harm would come to Caesar no later than the Ides of March. On his way to the Theatre of Pompey, where he would be assassinated, Caesar passed the seer and joked, “The ides of March have come,” meaning to say that the prophecy had not been fulfilled, to which the seer replied “Aye, Caesar; but not gone.”

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I remember  learning this is school. I think we learned it in English class, not history, when we read some of Shakespeare’s plays. I was not a fan. To this day I find the Bard hard to understand. But this phrase did stick in my mind and apparently in many other peoples minds as well. I think everyone is familiar with the expression if not where it comes from.

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It seems March 15 is right behind Friday the 13th as a day with bad vibes. 🙂 The ‘superstitions’ concerning the Ides of March are that on that date there would be forebodings that certain tragic events might befall persons if they do not heed the warning signs.

I am no soothsayer and I am not particularly superstitious but I will wish everyone well today while I remind you to “Beware the Ides of March”.

Valentine’s Day in History

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I ran across this article on the site This Day in History and thought it was worth a share.

Feb 14, 278:

St. Valentine beheaded

On February 14 around the year 278 A.D., Valentine, a holy priest in Rome in the days of Emperor Claudius II, was executed.

Under the rule of Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. The emperor had to maintain a strong army, but was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. Claudius believed that Roman men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachment to their wives and families.

To get rid of the problem, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.

When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Valentine was arrested and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. The sentence was carried out on February 14, on or about the year 270.

Legend also has it that while in jail, St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it “From Your Valentine.”

For his great service, Valentine was named a saint after his death.

In truth, the exact origins and identity of St. Valentine are unclear. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early martyrologies under the date of 14 February.” One was a priest in Rome, the second one was a bishop of Interamna (now Terni, Italy) and the third St. Valentine was a martyr in the Roman province of Africa.

Legends vary on how the martyr’s name became connected with romance. The date of his death may have become mingled with the Feast of Lupercalia, a pagan festival of love. On these occasions, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius decided to put an end to the Feast of Lupercalia, and he declared that February 14 be celebrated as St Valentine’s Day.

Gradually, February 14 became a date for exchanging love messages, poems and simple gifts such as flowers.

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RIP Nelson Mandela

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As the world morns the passing of Nelson Mandela there will be many comments, blogs, articles written commemorating a life dedicated to bringing freedom and equality to South Africa. Just the fact that he spent 27 years in prison for his beliefs is more than I can fathom. I don’t know if I would have the fortitude to  do that. That sacrifice makes me wonder if I even have something that I believe that deeply in that I would give up 27 years of freedom.

In the words of former president Jimmy Carter, who worked closely with Mandela to promote human rights, “His passion for freedom and justice created new hope for generations of oppressed people worldwide, and because of him, South Africa is today one of the world’s leading democracies.”

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Nelson Mandala left this world on Dec 5, 2013. Rest In Peace. Your battle is done.

It is time for a new generation to step up.