Civil rights legend honors King holiday

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rodney D. Ivey
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho (ACCNS) --  1968. Memphis, Tenn. Room 306 at the Lorraine Motel.

Friends sit in fellowship discussing a recent union strike. They didn't know this would be the last moments they would spend with one of their dearest friends and one of history's most admired people.

This man was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream of racial equality and peace for all mankind carries on today.

Of the people sitting in that motel room that fateful day only one remains alive to tell the story, the Rev. Samuel "Billy" Kyles.

Rev. Kyles was born in Shelby, Miss. on Sept. 26, 1934 and has been a longtime leader in the civil rights movement. He has been the pastor of the Monumental Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn. since 1959.

Rev. Kyles visited Mountain Home AFB, Jan. 29 to discuss the life and legacy of Dr. King. His message was one of hope and joy.

"We all have dreams," he said. "It's up to us to make sure these dreams become a reality. Langston Hughes the poet said 'hold fast to your dreams for if dreams die you are like a broken winged bird that cannot fly.'"

Rev. Kyles spoke of the importance of not giving up on our dreams.

"Suppose the Wright brothers had given up on their dream," he said. "What if Alexander Graham Bell had given up on his dream. The world might be a different place."

Dr. King was in Memphis, Tenn., in March 1968 to support a strike by the black garbage collection employees. On this trip a riot broke out and Dr. King was very discouraged about the results of what was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration. King vowed to come back and did so in April of that year. This was when he delivered his now famous "mountaintop" speech.

"We've got some difficult days ahead," Dr. King said as he spoke to the crowd. "But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop and I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

"I think Martin knew he wasn't going to last long," said Rev. Kyles. "He always said he wouldn't live past the age of 40. He took the time he had to talk to people about his dream."

Dr. King and his friends, Rev. Kyles and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, stepped out on the second floor balcony from room 306 a few minutes before 6 p.m. after engaging in what Rev. Kyles refers to as "preacher talk."

After talking with a few people about an event he would be attending that night, Dr. King was taken from our world by an unseen gunman. He was only 39-years-old.

"You can kill the dreamer, but you cannot kill the dream," said Rev. Kyles. "The dream is still alive. Hallelujah!"