(Editor’s Note: today’s author has served as president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund. Before that, Dr. Lomax was president of Dillard University in New Orleans and a literature professor at Morehouse and Spelman Colleges. He also served for 12 years as chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Fulton County. He is on the board of Teach for America, Emory University, The Carter Center, and a member of Sigma Pi Phi fraternity. He is a graduate of Morehouse College, has a master’s degree from Columbia University, with his Ph.D. degree from Emory University. He was born in Los Angeles in 1947.)
By Dr. Michael Lomax
WASHINGTON, D.C. | As we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I reflect on his thoughts about the blueprint for a person’s life. He asserted that a person should have a deep belief in his/her own dignity, worth and “somebodiness.” He also posited that you should never allow anyone to influence or negate the belief in your own self-worth and the ultimate significance of your life.
Lomax
Dr. King also encouraged us to think about life’s most persistent question and proposed that it is “what are you doing for others?” The answers we give may be as varied as our infinitely different human experiences. However, the question asks us to consider the importance of service to our families, our communities, our nation and our world.
As I re-read these words, I again marvel at the depth of his beliefs, the breadth of his service, and the power of his sacrifice for all Americans.
Dr. King showed us the power and impact of genuine service. He led us to recognize our own self-worth and to respect the dignity and value of others. He asked us to put our beliefs and behaviors on the line for the goal of equality for all people. He left us a roadmap for true service and a clear vision of achievable goals.
On April 25, 2024, UNCF will celebrate its 80th anniversary. On reflection, for 80 years, UNCF has built on the very blueprint he described, working with like minds to allow talented African American students at college level to express their beliefs in their own self-worth, value and capacities to learn, graduate and become specialists in their chosen fields. We have encouraged, supported and guided our students to lives of service. We have recognized their equality and driven them towards acting on it.
Thank you, Dr. King, for sharing your thoughts and ideas, for serving us, and for your sacrifice. We will not forget.
UNCF, our 37 member HBCUs, and the over 50,000 students we serve each year, remember, and honor his legacy, his work and his ultimate sacrifice.
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