How Long? Not Long. On March 25, 1965, I stood

[MineralMan]

near the back of a crowd, listening to Martin Luther King speaking those words from the steps of the State Capitol in Montgomery. A 19 year old white kid from California, I had driven my old beat-up 1953 Chrysler New Yorker, purchased for just $100, from California to Alabama.

I didn't realize the impact of that speech fully then, but I shared in the hopefulness of the people standing all around me. How long? America is still not completely there, but progress has been made. How long? Too long. And yet, if someone had told me that I'd be able to vote for a black man as President in 2008 that day, I wouldn't have believed them.

Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke. We listened. He is still speaking to us, if we'll listen.

[Cha]

1. Nice memory you have, MM.. thanks

[MineralMan]

2. It is a great memory. One of the few times in my life

that I was present when history was being made. I had dropped out of college, and was on one of those trips kids who drop out of college take, exploring and attempting to find a direction. I had read in the papers about what was going on in Alabama while driving across Texas, and decided that I'd head that way. I was waking up to a lot of things, dissatisfied with my direction, and looking for a new path for my life. I was just 19, so I wasn't really sure about a lot of things.

Hearing Dr. King speak had a big impact on me, although I didn't immediately realize where that would lead. Standing in that crowd of people whose lives were heavily impacted with prejudice and hatred made me realize that my sheltered small town childhood was most definitely over. It took me a while to integrate all of that into my life.

[Cha]

3. It's a beautiful

story.

[MineralMan]

4. I think the main thing I learned that day was that

I really, really wasn't that important. Other things were far more important. For a 19 year old kid, it was an epiphany.

[Cha]

5. That's what I mean.. it took

me a lot longer.. like forever!