"Faith is taking the first step when you can't see the rest of the staircase..."

By Amaechi Abuah

The Cultural Affairs Officer at the US embassy Larry Socha said a lot of other things to kick off the Martin Luther King Day Competition and the above MLK quote was just one of the many that formed part of his opening remarks, but, for some reason, it's the only one that really stuck.

In that way, it sort of reminds me of "I have a dream." Everyone knows it's this really important speech that changed the course of civil rights activism and all, but, if we're being honest with ourselves, most of us only know that one line. And who would blame us? I mean, it's catchy, "I have a dream." It's like "four score and seven years ago" or "here's looking at you kid." It just has a nice ring to it. And even aside from that, taken by itself, it also has the wonderful property of being just vague enough to mean something a bit different to each person.

“I Have a Dream” Through the Eyes of Abuja Students

High schools students in Abuja were tasked with interpreting the famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King as part of activities celebrating his life.  And they did it with a bang.  The students drawn from ten high schools in the federal capital put up various performances to showcase their talent.

School Children Reflect on the Life of Martin Luther King

Ambassador Entwistle (center) pose with students
and teachers who participated in the Essay
competition -- photo by Idika Onyukwu

February is celebrated as Black History Month in the United States to highlight the struggles and contributions of African-Americans to the country.  Activities are usually held in the United States and in various parts of the world during the month that focuses on different aspects of African-American life and especially those who have made significant contributions to their advancement.

In Abuja, the U.S. Embassy brought together secondary school students in the city to reflect and share their views about foremost American civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  The event was organized in collaboration with the Foundation for Moral and Ethical Development and alumni of the International Visitor Leadership Program.

A Dream Revisited: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ Then and Now

August 28, 1963

United States National Mall

August 28, 2013 marks fifty years since Martin Luther King, Jr. stood before a massive crowd of tens of thousands of Americans, and delivered one of the most powerful, culturally impactful speeches in history.  This anniversary is a powerful reminder to all Americans of how far the U.S. has come in improving civil rights and race relations, but also cause to reflect on how much further we have to go to achieve the equitable, just, and peaceful society that King and so many other civil rights leaders dreamed of.

Day of Service

The inauguration of President Barack Obama for his second term was extra special because it coincided with the day that is observed as public holiday to commemorate the birthday of famous civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.  His birthday is also a day of service.  On this day Americans engage in different acts of service in their community, a reflection of an important American value - that of volunteerism