The Legacy of Dr. King's Vision

On the eve of the inauguration of president-elect Barack Obama, the impending sense of change felt across this nation is intense and immediate.

Magnified by the observation of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. it lends a transcendental quality to the moment unfolding before us.

What is taking place before the scrutiny of the lens and the pen that will describe this moment in history and the eyes of millions of observers is nothing less than a new declaration of an awakening of our collective consciousness.

The culturegeist is evolving before our very eyes.

It's not just for black people, or Democrats, or for Americans but for the world and for humanity. Millions of people across the globe recognize this sense that we are witnessing the ascension of an intelligent and pragmatic world leader grounded in humanity and character; tethered by his faith.

Every media channel is poised to capture each moment of the time-honored ceremony about to take place in the Nation's Capitol. The millions of people who've descended upon the city to witness the occasion or simply "be there" will stretch the limits of the bandwidths and electronic conduits through which millions of gigabytes of data will flow back and forth between mobile devices and computers well into the night.

The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been 80 years old last Thursday January 15th had he not fallen to an assassin's bullet on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Here in America one of the ways we recognize King's legacy as a human rights icon and transformative figure is with the observance of a federal holiday on the third Monday of each January.

There's a powerful Tsunami of change pushing it's way through America. Towards a more advanced and inclusive culture born of the core of our country's complex history. It's part of a movement with many soldiers and participants; many heroes and many martyrs.

It didn't just start with Obama but his character, ideas about this nation and record as a politician have placed him in synch as the path of this wave prepares to usher in unprecedented change.

Dr. King could not have wished for a greater gift.

Watch the "I Have a Dream Speech"