PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- With chants of " No justice, no peace" and "They say 'give back,' we say, 'fight back,'" more than 100 people, including some toddlers hanging onto their mother's hands, paraded through the city's downtown Wednesday to mark the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic "I Have a Dream" speech.
Many of the participants, including Virginia Gonsalves, 74, of East Providence, agreed that while there has been some progress in the half century since King delivered his historic speech, they also believed that in many respects his dream has yet to be fully realized.
"There has been some progress, but it hurts that some things haven't changed, and that we should still be fighting for economic justice," Gonsalves said. "Why are we trying to shut the doors to immigrants?"
Starting at what is officially known as the Martin Luther King Bridge, the area of Francis Street that crosses the river adjacent to Waterplace Park, the march continued around Kennedy Plaza and then to the University of Rhode Island's Feinstein campus on Washington Street, where participants held another impromptu rally before proceeding inside.
"Let us remember something," said Mayor Angel Taveras, who was one of those leading the march. "Fifty years ago Martin Luther King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and talked about this dream, But for his dream to become a reality in our city, our state and nation, it takes action. We need to all commit ourselves to taking action and making that dream a reality not just today but everyday."
The mayor then added: "We also need to remember that Martin Luther King taught us the power of nonviolence. As we fight to bring attention to the issues of our day, be it poverty, education or voting rights, we must all remember the power of nonviolence and what we can do when we act with common goal and remember the power of nonviolence."
By Richard C. Dujardin