The MLK Legacy: Remembering the Dream and a legacy of Humility and Service Published Jan. 12, 2016 By Chaplain (Maj.) William W. Cooper, Jr. Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operation DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- While I am not old enough to have witnessed the modern day civil rights movement, I am fortunate to say that I have met several people who personally knew Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and over the years, I have learned a great deal about his life. As a theology student near Atlanta, Georgia, I routinely attended Ebenezer Baptist Church, the congregation that Dr. King last pastored, I was a resident of the Martin Luther King National Historic site for six years, and I even took a graduate level class on his theology. When I reflect back on those experiences, I recall various discussions of his unique and stellar speaking ability. Some of his messages started out as simple sermons that eventually captivated even the non-religious. But the one thing that I remember most from the people who reflected on their specific interactions with Dr. King was they recalled his humility and his dedication to serving others. Experts suggest the "I Have a Dream" speech is the most well-known of Dr. King's orations and some have stated the speech may be one of the most popular public statements of all time. It was a speech that Dr. King had delivered before, but when he was allowed to speak at the 1963 March on Washington, his dream was shared with many thousands of people in America and across the world. Even to this day, people are moved by his thought-provoking words. He spoke eloquently and passionately about how he dreamed of a time when all American citizens would receive equal opportunities and rights. It was a dream that people from all walks of life agreed with and embraced. The "I Have a Dream" speech was relatively brief but it was inspirational and memorable to many people. Yet there were other speeches given by Dr. King that garnered praise as well. For instance, the "Street Sweeper" speech, where Dr. King stated, "even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michaelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry; sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well." In a January 2015 article, author Erick Erickson indicated that this was his favorite speech from Dr. King. According to Erickson, the "Street Sweeper" speech is also known as "The Three Dimension of a Complete Life" and was given on April 9, 1967. In this speech, Dr. King went on to explain that a full life is three dimensional, where a human being begins first with an inward concern for one's own welfare, second with the outward concern for the welfare of others and third, with an upward reach for a higher power. With these words, Dr. King challenges the observer to remain humble and to work with diligence regardless of the kind of work that is to be done. Dr. King was once quoted as saying, "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve......You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." In 1968, shortly after Dr. King's assassination, his widow, Coretta Scott King, started The King Center for Non-Violent Social Change. Her goal was to help communities nation-wide achieve equal rights with the idea of serving others as a central aspect of achieving and maintaining equality. Today, countless people around the globe will pause for the King Holiday and many will focus on service but to me, it is clear that Dr. King's own example of humility and service during his life contributed immeasurably to the achieving of his dream.