Today marks the national observation of Martin Luther King Day. The American Indian College Fund is closed to observe the life of this great leader, but I wanted to write to commemorate not just the life of King, but the life of all great leaders, including our American Indian leaders, who have worked hard to ensure that all Americans have the right to share in the American dream.
The Civil Rights movement gave rise to a new generation of people believing that they had the right to achieve their dreams, and that they could. Those beliefs gave way to reality. Our tribal college movement was born in that time, in 1968, at Dine College in Tsaile, Arizona.
King was tireless in his work to propel his people forward, and to propel all people of color forward. I honor him today, as well as those others that were not so well-known, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes on behalf of their people to create a better future for them through better education, better health care, and better opportunities for civic engagement.
Thank you, Dr. King, and thank you, all of you leaders, past and present, who continue in the spirit of our great leaders and Dr. King.
