Renee Van Lee
poet/writer
I can recall before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day became anational holiday hearing a confident and promising young man recitingDr.King*s *I Have A Dream* speech during an assembly. His name wasDerrick Savage and he attended Richard E. Byrd School in Cabrini Greenin the 70's and early 80's. He was an honor student who went ontoattend high school at Hyde Park Academy. When Derrick reached theprophetic phrase in the world renowned speech, 'I have a dream thatoneday this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of itscreed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men arecreated equal."I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia,the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will beable to sit down together at the table of brotherhood,' teachers andstudents squirming in excitement and hanging onto his every wordbecause of his charisma and because he envisioned like Dr. King thatthis nation would some day rise to the occasion. Everyone from theprincipal, Mrs. Hogan to the kindergarten class new that we had a starin our midst. Derrick was a natural born orator and had good looks toboot. I remember when he graduated and his class visited Springfield.I was in 5th grade and as a treat our class got to watch footage of themat Lincoln's tomb. When a student spotted Derrick they'd say theregoes the *future drum major for peace.'
Much like the Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr., Derrick Savage*slife was cut short by abullet. On a crisp Fall school day a tenant aimed his gun at the blacktop where Derrick and a friend stoodtalking. I attended his funeralalong with hundreds of others. Thatwas the first time I rememberfeeling excruciating heartache. One day he was so alive and full oflife and the next day without reason he is still. The communitymourned him for years to come. I was so devastated that I could barelymove. My mother noticed it and told me that I had to live on but tokeep him in my heart and that his memory would live on forever. Herwords really helped me a lot.When I started to feel down and low Iimmediately placed my mind on the assembly that day when he recited Dr.King's, 'I Have A Dream Speech.'
On this coming Rev. Dr. MartinLuther King, Jr. Holiday, Monday,
Jan 18, I plan to listentodocumentaries on the radio and television that honor Dr.King*slegacy. As I have gotten older I have learned to focus my energyon thegood words and deeds of others. Four decades ago, Dr. King knewthatviolence was not the answer and that we all need to come togethertoeffect change. A few years ago, My children and I got a chanceto attend theChildren*s Museum courtesy of the Chicago Public Libraryat Navy Pierwhere they had an exhibit dedicated to the 'drum major forpeace.' We watched a play and received a book entitled My BrotherMartin by hissister Christine King Farris. When I left the exhibit, Iwas trulyenlightened and inspired as the soothing, reverberating soundof Dr. King's voice reassured me, *Let us notwallow in the valley ofdespair, I say to you today, my friends.And so even though we face thedifficulties of today and tomorrow, Istill have a dream. It is a dreamdeeply rooted in the American dream.I have a dream that one day thisnation will rise up and live out thetrue meaning of its creed: 'We holdthese truths to be self-evident,that all men are created equal.'
