Published Monday, Jan. 18, 1999 People who are far removed from the civil rights movement may view the third Monday in January simply as another federal holiday such as Presidents Day, said the Rev. Martha Sanders, pastor of Hour of Power Full Gospel Tabernacle Inc.
"In the hearts and minds of the people who were involved in the struggle, we see it as a day to reflect, assess and look forward to a strategy to improve on racism and poverty," Mrs. Sanders said.
People need to look at the broader picture and see how they can use the day to make the community a better place to live, she said.
"These are the things that many have fought and died for," she said. "It's about looking beyond their own individual lives and realizing that everyone has an obligation."
More communities celebrated the holiday when it was established in 1983, but now not all are, said Forrest Underwood, president of Black Men for Progress.
"The majority community now thinks that things for minorities are in pretty good shape and we have begun to enjoy the same fruits," he said. "But it's not true. The gap is widening."
Betty Marshall, the president of the Mercer County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, agreed that it's mainly the African-American community celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
"He was a black leader but he was a leader through the principles he stood by," she said. "They were principles for all colors and all nationalities, not just for black people."
Most public agencies including the U.S. Postal Service are closed today. Most banks and schools were also scheduled to be closed. Closing an office is more symbolic than meaningful, Underwood said.
"We may recognize it as a holiday but that's only part of the process," he said. "we need to observe it."
The white community isn't paying attention to the issues Mr. King spoke about, at least not with the "zeal and honesty that they did 20 to 25 years ago," Underwood said.
"His fight wasn't just for black people -- it was for all people," he said.
Mrs. Sanders has talked to young people who "barely know who Martin Luther King is," she said. She blames that on adults.
"If the adults don't keep the dream alive, then we can't expect the kids to," the 65-year-old Farrell woman said.
In the late 1960s, people were coming together and celebrating their differences and likeness, Underwood said.
"That is pretty much eroding," he said. "Not only the majority community, but also the minority community is moving away from focusing on those kinds of issues during our celebrations."
Ms. Marshall said people can never celebrate King's accomplishments enough.
"What needs to be done is just more focus on what his programs are," she said.
