\u201cToday is a day to reflect upon the contributions of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the thousands of Americans who advocated \u2013 and continue to advocate \u2013 for equality in our country. The gains of the civil rights movement were made possible through the great sacrifice of thousands who protested injustice and made their voices heard \u2013 frequently putting their own lives at risk. The successes of the civil rights movement and others like it, such as the LGBT rights movement, were also often intertwined, as demonstrated by the fact that Bayard Rustin, a gay man, served as one of Dr. King\u2019s closest advisors. Despite the great strides our country has made toward equality for all Americans \u2013 regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, or socioeconomic status \u2013 our work is not done. While we celebrate the significant progress that has been made since the inception of the civil rights movement, we must continue to work hard to make Dr. King\u2019s dream a reality by replacing hate with love, intolerance with acceptance, and division with unity.\u201d<\/p>\n
###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cToday is a day to reflect upon the contributions of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the thousands of Americans who advocated \u2013 and continue to advocate \u2013 for equality in our country. The gains of the civil rights movement were made possible through the great sacrifice of thousands who protested injustice and made their voices heard \u2013 frequently putting their own lives at risk.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n