Hey! Hey! MLK!

(An image from MLK Drive in Chicago)

Hope you all had a good civil holiday.. I was at the first MLK day celebration in Chicago, low these 20 years ago, in the State of Illinois building, where a friend was working. It was quite an experience. Hundreds of people were gathered at noon in the atrium of what then was known as "Jahn's john" for it's toilet like shape, to hear speeches by Jesse Jackson, Harold Washington and other prominent Black Chicagoans. One of the odder moments was when I heard the somewhat confusing statement, "I am not a lump-lump!" declared by then mayor, now deceased, Harold Washington. The crowd seemed to know what it meant, even if I didn't.

Other bizarre memories include an elderly black gentleman interrupting several speakers with the exhortation, "Bring it on HOME, BROTHER! Bring it ON HOME!". It was quite a revivalistic atmosphere. White faces were always in the minority, even more so as the speeches went on. By the time the event was closed with a group sing-along of "We Shall Overcome", it was quite painfully evident that I was the only obviously non-Black person in the audience. When we got to the stanza "Black and white together" - everyone just turned and stared at me. I was never so grateful for a "Bring it on HOME!" as just then.