Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Civil Rights Commemoration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission presents to Utah Senate; Teresa Martinez delivers keynote
Summary
On Jan. 12, 2004, the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission addressed the Utah Senate; Holiday Chair Phyllis Carruth introduced commission members and Teresa Martinez of the University of Utah delivered a keynote on Dr. King's legacy and the continuing work for equality.
SALT LAKE CITY — On Monday the Utah State Senate received a presentation from the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission as members marked Dr. King's birthday.
Phyllis Carruth, serving as holiday chair, thanked the Senate for the invitation, presented a small gift and introduced commission members present. She announced the commission had hired a full-time coordinator, Michael Styles, to improve outreach and communications.
Teresa Martinez, identified in the program as a professor at the University of Utah, gave the keynote. Martinez recounted personal and national history to explain why the nation honors Martin Luther King Jr., described the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as watershed moments, and connected those changes to expanded educational opportunities for her own family. Martinez said the work toward equality remains unfinished and urged continued effort toward justice.
Members responded by thanking the commission for the presentation and applauding the remarks. The Senate then dissolved the Committee of the Whole and returned to its business of assigning bills and completing organizational tasks.
Selected quote: "Martin Luther King Jr. asked America to remember its own greatest strengths, its own best self," Martinez said, urging senators to continue working toward equality.
The commission presentation concluded with an offer of books to the Senate and expressions of appreciation from the body.
