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U.S. President Ronald Reagan signing Proclamation 5431 on January 20, 1986, declaring that date as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Mrs. Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. King, watches standing on the right side of the President. |
On Monday, January 19, 2004, Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak, Chairman
of WANGO’s International Council, and Mr. Taj Hamad, Secretary General of
WANGO, attended the 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National
Holiday Celebration “Live the Dream – 2004” Ambassadorial Reception and
Awards Dinner, held in New York City.
This event was hosted by Congress on Racial Equality (CORE).
Founded in 1942, CORE is the third oldest and one of the “Big Four”
civil rights groups in the United States. CORE
played a fundamental role in so many critical milestones in the U.S. civil
rights movement that its history is a large part of the story of the civil
rights movement.
The
Awards Dinner, honoring the late civil and human rights champion, has grown to
become one of the largest events in the country honoring Dr. King with more than
2,000 people from all walks of life attending each year. On these occasions,
CORE seeks to bring together the most diverse audience, both internationally and
domestically, and also recognizes individuals, who through their words and
actions, have helped to further the cause of racial equality.
CORE’s National Chairman, The Honorable Roy Innis, was the
host of the 2004 Ambassadorial Reception and Awards Dinner, with the co-hosts,
Co-Chairmen, Mr. Raymond V. Gilmartin, Chairman & C.E.O., Merck & Co.,
Inc.; and Mr. Paulo Costa, President & C.E.O., Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Corporation. The special honorees
for the evening were Brigadier General Vincent Brooks, Public Affairs Office,
Operation Iraqi Freedom; Honorable Janice Rogers Brown, Associate Justice ,
California Supreme Court; and Mr. David A. Keene, Chairman, American
Conservative Union.
Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak and Mr. Taj Hamad were seated on the head dais for the evening, and were individually introduced and publicly acknowledged before the illustrious audience for WANGO’s commitment and service to international NGOs. WANGO was recognized for its principles and effort in accord with CORE’s firm belief, “Together we can make equality a reality for all.”
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U.S. President Ronald Reagan signing Proclamation 5431 on January 20, 1986, declaring that date as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Mrs. Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. King, watches standing on the right side of the President. |
The U.S.
Congress designated the third Monday of January as the official national holiday
in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday; Dr. King's actual birthday is
January 15th. According to the Act, "the holiday should serve as a
time for Americans to reflect on the principles of racial equality and
nonviolent social change espoused by Martin Luther King, Jr.”
The
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission has adopted "Living The
Dream" as the official theme for celebrating the national holiday.
The theme expresses the message and inspiration Dr. King generated among
Americans in his dream, and what that dream awakened in America. CORE's first King Holiday Celebration was held in 1984--one
year before the official holiday went into effect. Over the years, CORE's King
Holiday Celebration has attracted the support and participation of leaders in
the business, celebrity, diplomatic, civic, entertainment, religious and
philanthropic communities.