FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2023
PHRC recognizes the 55th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Harrisburg, PA- The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) encourages all Pennsylvanians to take a moment to remember the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today marks the 55th anniversary of his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.
"The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission strives to live up to the lessons and teachings of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," said PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW. "Dr. King popularized the term, Beloved Community, which encourages each of us to take responsibility for the common good. The PHRC has adopted this concept as a foundation for building a community that can address and dismantle hate and discrimination."
In Dr. King's last book, "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community," he warned us that a vigorous enforcement of civil rights will bring an end to segregated public facilities, but it cannot bring an end to fears, prejudice, pride and irrationality, which are the barriers to a truly integrated society.
"The goal of the PHRC is not just to remedy discriminatory action but to do so in a way that strengthens the bonds of community as a preventative measure," said Lassiter. "The Beloved Community model allows us all to bequeath authentically peaceful communities to the next generation."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Nobel Peace Prize winner and the most visible spokesperson and leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. Through nonviolence and civil disobedience, he led targeted protests against all forms of discrimination, through bus boycotts, marches and much more. Because of the work of Dr. King and other activists during the Civil Rights Movement, the U.S. government passes the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The day before his assassination, he was in Memphis with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to support a sanitation workers strike.
About PHRC: As Pennsylvania's Civil Rights leader, it is our vision that all people in Pennsylvania will live, work and learn free from unlawful discrimination. PHRC promotes equal opportunity for all and enforces the state laws that protect people from unlawful discrimination. Information and resources are available at www.PHRC.pa.gov.
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