Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission delivers presentation to Utah Senate; keynote highlights King's legacy

The Utah State Senate resolved into the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 12 to receive a presentation from the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission marking Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Phyllis Carruth, the holiday chair, introduced commission members and presented a gift of books to the chamber. She noted that Michael Styles (also spelled "Stiles" in the reading) has been hired as the commission's full-time coordinator; Carruth described the rest of the commission as mostly volunteers.

University of Utah professor Theresa Martinez delivered the keynote address, recounting why King is honored and how his leadership helped produce major civil-rights advances. "I'm very honored to be here today to speak on behalf of the Martin Luther King Human Rights Commission," Martinez said, and she described King as a leader who "asked America to remember its own greatest strengths, its own best self." She traced the impact of King's work to laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and said those changes opened opportunities for diverse families.

Carruth and other commission members—listed on the floor as volunteers and state employees working with the commission—were acknowledged and thanked for their service. The Senate dissolved the committee of the whole by voice vote after the presentation and returned to regular order.

The presentation emphasized commemoration and education: commission members presented materials to legislators and stressed the commission's intent to promote tolerance, inclusiveness and diversity across the state. The exchange was ceremonial and informational; the Senate recorded its appreciation and continued with organizational business.

Quote attributions in this article are taken from remarks recorded on the Senate floor during the commission's presentation.