His dream inspires new generations

In many of his speeches, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would paraphrase James Russell Lowell’s 1845 poem, “Once to Every Man and Nation” while exhorting his listeners to sacrifice for the dream of equality and freedom. “Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne, Yet that scaffold sways the future ...” This Saturday would have been King’s 76th birthday, and on Monday the holiday in his honor will be observed. More than 100,000 people turned out for last year’s King parade in Los Angeles. The theme of this year’s event is “Building the Dream for Today and Tomorrow.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade travels west on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Western Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard. 10:30 a.m. Monday. Free. (310) 537-4240. More events, observances, Pages 64 and 65.