By Scott Pohl, WKAR News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-945681.mp3
LANSING, MI –
A Congressman from Maryland is the featured speaker at the annual Martin Luther King Junior luncheon today in Lansing.
Baltimore Democrat Elijah Cummings has represented Maryland's 7th Congressional district since 1996.
WKAR's Scott Pohl recently spoke with Cummings about how he was influenced by Doctor King. Cummings says he grew up listening to broadcasts of King sermons on Sunday afternoons, and was inspired by King's efforts to change the way African-Americans lived.
AUDIO:
ELIJAH CUMMINGS: "I knew what it felt like to not be able to go into stores in my neighborhood. I knew what it felt like not to be able to go to certain theaters, and I also knew what it felt like to, if you went to certain theaters, you had to either sit in the balcony or sit in the back. I remember that, and so he had a tremendous influence on my life. As a matter of fact, one of the things that I did as a youngster was participate in a effort to integrate a local swimming pool, and that was directly influenced by the efforts of Dr. King."
SCOTT POHL: "You know, when you think about it, it's kind of amazing that after all these years, he continues to have the influence that he has."
CUMMINGS: "Yeah, it is, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that he was a trailblazer. He set trails where people wouldn't even think of trying to set a trail. And a lot of people don't realize it, but in his efforts to pave the way for future generations to live a better life, he had a lot of opposition, even from African-Americans. Many African-American preachers were against him, but yet and still, he stood up for what he believed in. And I think the reason why people are so still in love with this man is that they know that if it were not for him, they would not be experiencing the type of life they're experiencing today. And, so, I think he did something else, too. I think he had a tremendous impact on our white brothers and sisters, in that he said that if people truly wanted to be fair, and truly be about the business of doing what was right, a lot of these doors that had been closed to a segment or segments of our population needed to be opened. He was a man of principal, and he didn't mind dying, and he said it he wouldn't mind dying for the things that he really believed in."
POHL: "Can you tell me anything at this point about the remarks you're planning for the people of Lansing on Monday?"
CUMMINGS: "Well, what I hope to do is just talk about where we are in our society today. With the recent shooting in Tucson of my very good friend Gabby Giffords, and with the problems that we are experiencing with the rhetoric, which has been, I think, in many instances, inappropriate, I think we have lost sight of the things that Dr. King stood for. And I think that we need to get back our focus, so that we might concentrate on working together to accomplish so much more than we can accomplish if we're divided. I've often said that our diversity is our promise, and not our problem, and so I think we need to refocus, and I think that this is an appropriate time as we celebrate the birthday of Dr. King, because the very things he stood for are the things that I think will allow us to move closer and closer to that more perfect union."
POHL: "The luncheon that you'll be speaking at, I've covered it a number of times, and it's one of the biggest affairs of its type in Lansing every year. Likely to be 1,000-plus people there, and people from all age ranges, including children since it's a day off school. So, you'll have quite an audience to hear your words on Monday."
CUMMINGS: "Well, I'm looking forward to it. As a matter of fact, I'm excited about it. I do a lot of speeches, and I've never spoken in Lansing before, but I'm excited because, first of all, just being invited, and then the whole idea that we will be celebrating Dr. King's birthday makes it even a better situation."