Kweisi Mfume calls for coalition-building at University of Chicago Martin Luther King Day memorial service

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Kweisi Mfume, the former president of the nations oldest and largest civil rights organization, said that the nation must “rekindle its spirit” for social justice Monday at the University of Chicago’s annual commemoration of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. In the pulpit of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, Mfume told the standing-room-only crowd of more than 1,000 students, faculty members, staff and neighbors that King’s dream for America has not yet been realized and that racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, and anti-immigrant behaviors “threaten the progress that has been made since the day of that assassination.”

“This is not a perfect nation, and we are not a perfect people,” former NAACP president Mfume said. “And yet the God of all of us still calls us to a perfect mission. It’s a mission to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, and provide guidance to our young and security to our seniors.”

Mfume struck a hopeful tone as he reminded the packed house that “victories have been won,” but “we still have a long, long way to go.”

“So the question,” Mfume continued, “must be not when do we get there, but what path do we take? We know that difficulties between groups in our complex society are not novel or new, but our approach to those difficulties must be both. It is time to act.”

Mfume, 56, took over the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1996, and is credited with raising standards and expectations of the civil rights organization and providing it with a clear blueprint for its future. His resignation from the organization after nine years of service became effective Saturday, Jan. 1, though he will continue to serve as a consultant to the NAACP until July. The Rev. Jesse Jackson has hailed Mfume for bringing stability to the organization and for leaving it “stronger than he found it.” Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, has called Mfume “a distinguished leader who champions the rights of all Americans.”

A Baltimore native, Mfume entered public service in 1979, winning a seat on the Baltimore city council by three votes. He held that seat for three years, leading efforts to diversify city government, improve community safety and enhance minority business development. With that success, Mfume went on to easily win a seat in Congress in 1986. As a congressman, Mfume advocated landmark minority business and civil rights legislation, and sponsored initiatives banning assault weapons. Mfume served as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, and later as the Caucus’ chair of the Task Force on Affirmative Action. He left Congress in 1996 when he was appointed president of the NAACP, where he helped usher in a new generation for civil rights advocacy. In addition to his career in politics and at the NAACP, Mfume worked for 13 years in broadcasting, and for nine years he hosted the television show The Bottom Line. His best-selling autobiography is entitled No Free Ride.

Mfume spoke on the theme of this year’s King celebration, “Living the Legacy.” While Mfume’s speech was the keynote address of the week, this year’s commemoration included events that examined and celebrated King’s message in a variety of formats and perspectives. Among the events honoring King was a screening of the acclaimed documentary Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin followed by a discussion; a talk by alumnus Roderick Pugh about what it was like growing up as the grandchild of former slaves; a panel discussion on how King’s message of equality influences other groups struggling for equality; a reading by Danielle Allen, the Dean of the Humanities and the author of Talking to Strangers: Anxieties of Citizenship since Brown v. Board of Education; an evening of spoken word poetry; a day of community service; and a gospel music festival. It is estimated to be the largest celebration of King in the University’s history.