By Mary Silver
Epoch Times Atlanta Staff
Jan 21, 2008


Freedom: Falun Dafa Association President Dr. Sen Yang addresses the standing-room-only crowd at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on January 21, 2008. Dr. Yang called for freedom for the people of China, including Falun Gong practitioners. Former President Bill Clinton, who spoke at the event, is seated at the end of the middle pew.

King's Birthday Celebration Draws Surprise Visitors

By Mary Silver

Epoch Times Atlanta Staff

Atlanta--Former President Bill Clinton made an unannounced speech at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on January 21. Mr. Clinton said he, "cried like a baby" when he heard King's 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech alone in his middle class house in Arkansas. This would have been Dr. King's 79th birthday. King was assassinated at age 39. A diverse group of dignitaries celebrated King's life, including Dr. Sen Yang, President of the Mid-USA Falun Dafa Association, Morehouse President Dr. Robert Franklin, Congressman Sanford Bishop, Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, and Presidential candidate and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. "Remember! Celebrate! Act! is the King center slogan, and the service called for action.

AME Bishop for Tennessee and Kentucky Vashti Murphy Mackenzie gave the keynote address. She is a pioneer, the first woman bishop in her denomination. Her sermon was structured like a symphony, ranging from Cicero to C. S. Lewis with detours for Gandhi, Oprah and Ida B. Wells. She cited heroes who were followed by greater heroes, from Old Testament times to today. She said we must work and dig our own wells, and that we are climbing Jacob's ladder, as we expand on the dreams of those who went before us.

Bishop McKenzie said "I dare you to step forward and follow your dreams even if you don't have any support and have to step out by yourself. Widen your circle of concern to include people who don't look like you, dress like you, or talk like you. I dare you to come back next year not in the same place where you are this year."

The service opened and closed with "We Shall Overcome," the civil rights anthem, sung in Hebrew, French and English.

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