Statement on the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Washington, D.C. – Bread for the World today released the following statement commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The statement can be attributed to Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World:
“Fifty years ago, on April 4, 1968, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The dreamer is gone, but the dream remains. Dr. King’s dream of the promised land was informed by his belief that ending hunger and poverty was possible. Upon his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, he said: ‘There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we have the resources to get rid of it.’
“Dr. King’s impenetrable legacy inspires Bread for the World’s work. Like Dr. King, we too, imagine a world without hunger and poverty, and engage in actions to get there. Bread for the World supports the events commemorating the 50th anniversary of his martyrdom, including the ACT to End Racism rally in Washington, D.C. It is important that churches are coming together for this, because you cannot end hunger and poverty without ending racism. We hope these events help to put us on the path to finally fulfilling Dr. King’s dream.”
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