THE TRUTH is Dr. King was REAL and what he did was historical as he not only changed America but he even changed most of the world and today is “a day on, not a day off” to promote his dream of “racial equality for all people of color.” The reality is the CNMI would look & be very different had it not been for Dr. King — for TRUE, believe it or not! The Civil Rights Movement was not just about Blacks but about ALL the People of color, which included the local population of Chamorros & Carolinians who would have gone to Black schools with me back-in-the-day and called the “N-word” just like I was called. MLK Day is not just for Black folks and it is my sincere hopes and prayers that ONE Day that THIS-DAY will truly be celebrated island-wide on the beaches or wherever people can gather in celebration because the Civil Rights Movement was for all people of color, especially the local people who benefited from the end-results of the movement which was the 1964, Civil Rights Act.
The work and struggles of Dr. King and those in the Civil Rights Movement shouldn’t be forgotten and certainly shouldn’t be taken for granted as it’s still a “day-on to keep his dream alive.” There are many locals with African-American blood now streaming through their families going back to the time when the first African Whalers jumped ship in the 1800s never to go back after seeing the beautiful long-haired women on the island of Saipan, so know and even HONOR your history, your ancestors and your family ties of today, you might be surprised. I am humbly and respectfully asking that in the future every person, especially those of color to try to do something to honor and commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on this Day in the future, if it’s just a day on the beach. It shouldn’t be up to Ambrose or any small group because THIS-DAY is about most of the people in the CNMI, especially those who appreciate and honor their “American Identity as a Chamorro-American, Carolinian-American, Palauan-American, Filipino-American, Chuukese-American” and other American people of color here.
But I must offer my sincere KUDOS & Thanks to Joeten, a great man whom I truly wish I had got a chance to know, and his Joeten Stores & Family for being one of, if not, the only business that has continuously recognized MLK Day, so visit Joeten and take advantage of their sale. THANKS Joeten. On the mainland there are all kinds of MLK Day races, cook-outs, sales and events that are even sponsored by City & Town Governments. The reality is our government, MVA & the hotels do nothing for MLK Day even though many locals do appreciate Dr. King. It’s been left up to a handful of Blacks on island, which needs to change. I can only pray that ONE DAY, it will be the same in the CNMI with MLK Day Celebrations among the businesses and among the people on Luta, Tinian and Saipan. Every person of color needs to OWN MLK Day and recognize the man who gave his life so that you could live your life on a more equal & level playing field because believe it or not, Dr. King made life a great deal better for all people of color in America and even throughout the world. My only question is “Who will renew the MLK Day celebrations and if not NOW then When,” which is the same question I remember Dr. King posed in 1968, to me and others in the Memphis Chapter of SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) challenging us to be real activist for the cause of equality, which I still honor in doing today. We (the people who marched with Dr. King) are becoming an extinct breed and it’s time to pass the torch.
I’m also not just concerned with MLK Day, but there is Black History Month next and I’m wondering if the newspaper is going to voluntary publish the events of that recognize the only race in America for entire month, then there is Juneteenth coming so someone must pick-up these Banners and carry the batons. I’m now 73 and it’s time for someone to step-up to the challenge to lead & organize celebrations on these all-important days. As my late great friend Dr. Joyner might say on this occasion, “show Dr. King some love CNMI.” So, I say again to all people of color in the CNMI, “if not you, (especially our leaders) then who and if not now then when will you honor & thank Dr. King.” Happy MLK Day CNMI and please don’t forget the REALITY that Dr. King dedicated and gave HIS life for YOU (all people of color) to be treated equally in America and even throughout the world — for TRUE!!!
One People, One Direction.
Ambrose M. Bennett is an Economist who minored in Sociology, a Political Scientist, a retired teacher & former CNMI Board of Education Member, a James Madison Fellow (U.S. Constitutional Scholar), a Fulbright-Hays & lifetime Humanities Scholar who resides in Kagman, MP-USA
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