Page 29 - MLK 2024 Booklet

January 15, 2024

Dear Friends,

It is my distinct honor to join the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission of Mid
Michigan in recognizing the 39th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Celebration,
and to welcome trailblazer Ruby Nell Bridges Hall to the Greater Lansing Region. More
than 60 years after she walked into William Frantz Elementary School at age six, our
honored guest remains an enduring symbol of bravery, her image seen around the world
and across generations, and forever commemorated in the famous Norman Rockwell
painting.

This year’s theme comes from the words written over 50 years ago by United States
Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in his closing argument against capital
punishment: “The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in
times of crisis.” Those words still ring true as we find ourselves fighting for democracy at
home in a time of great turmoil abroad. Justice Marshall understood that the resolution
to every conflict begins with recognizing others’ humanity.

The MLK Commission of Mid-Michigan continues to uphold the principles that guided
Dr. King by amplifying his contributions and those of all who have given so much to the
civil rights movement. This celebration honors them. Today, let us also recommit to Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr's vision of equal rights and equal justice for all, and to
compassion in crisis.

Respectfully,

Elissa Slotkin, Member of Congress
Michigan’s 7th Congressional District

39th Annual MLK Day of Celebration • 29