U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, reflected on the significance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, recalling the impact of Dr. King’s iconic speech at the March on Washington.
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, who was a young girl attending a segregated school in Louisiana when she first heard Dr. King’s words, emphasized how his belief in the interconnected struggle for justice in America and globally became the guiding light of her career. She highlighted Dr. King’s symbolic connection between the fight for justice in America and the struggle for independence in Africa, particularly during Ghana’s first independence day in 1957.
Recalling Dr. King’s powerful words, “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last,” Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield underlined the enduring importance of his vision. She expressed her commitment to working in Dr. King’s image, using her platform as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations to advocate for human rights, democracy, equal opportunity, racial justice, education, economic development, climate justice, and food security.
Acknowledging that progress is not always linear and there is work yet to be done, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield conveyed her pride in being part of an administration that shares the belief that persistence in doing what is right is essential. Quoting Dr. King’s wisdom, she emphasized the importance of not growing weary in the pursuit of justice, expressing optimism that, by staying committed, the desired harvest of progress will be reaped in due time.
As the nation celebrated what would have been Dr. King’s 95th birthday, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield called on everyone to recommit to realizing his vision of true and lasting freedom, both in America and around the world.
