At Annual MLK Breakfast, Dr. King's Message Remembered
BOSTON (CBS) -- Massachusetts civic, community, and religious leaders gathered at the Boston Convention Center in South Boston for the 46th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast Monday.
The breakfast was an opportunity for everyone to remember the man, who called Boston home for a short time--and to recall that the example of his life decades ago challenges us today.
"He represented the very best within us, the ties that bind us together, the shared sense of purpose, the divine notion that we can do better, and the relentless spirit that says we must," Gov. Charlie Baker said of Dr. King.
The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Ruth Simmons, president emerita of Brown University and the first African-American to serve as president of an Ivy League college. Other speakers included Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, U.S. Senators for Massachusetts Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Massachusetts State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, and Bishop of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church Sudarshana Devadhar.
Sen. Markey got a standing ovation at the end of his impassioned speech, which contrasted the "dream" of today's Republican candidates like Ted Cruz and Donald Trump with the message of Dr. King.
"They have a dream that one day our nation will judge you by virtue of your race, your creed, or your country of origin," said Sen. Markey. "They have a dream that one day our country will have no more Muslims coming from overseas, or planned parenthood, or social security as we know it."
Those at the head table spoke about the accomplishments achieved since King's day, but realized the challenges of the work to be done.
"Like the civil rights movement of 50 years ago, it comes to us to affirm that black lives matter, black citizens matter, and black families matter," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports