Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Home › News › Local News

The Dream, hope stand proud on MLK Day

By James B. Meadow, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 17, 2009 at 12:05 a.m.

Text size  
Barber Stan Stewart cuts Sidney Theard's hair at the House of Hair in Denver. Stewart plans to take off work Tuesday so he can watch Barack Obama's inauguration on TV.

Photo by Dennis Schroeder / The Rocky

Barber Stan Stewart cuts Sidney Theard's hair at the House of Hair in Denver. Stewart plans to take off work Tuesday so he can watch Barack Obama's inauguration on TV.

Related Stories

More Local News

More stories »

Amid the staccato snip-snip- snip of scissors, the soothing drone of clippers and the floor- bound cascades of curls and whiskers, a bunch of the regulars sat in the swivel chairs of the House of Hair and tried to figure out whether they were talking about the culmination of The Dream or the beginning.

"I think what's kind of significant is that the legacy one man left behind another man is able to use as a platform so he can start leaving his own legacy," said Marcus Pope, a barber who was born 16 years after Martin Luther King was murdered and 25 years before Barack Obama was elected president of the United States.

Which is why the juxtaposition of Martin Luther King Day and Inauguration Day - and the different threads of hope the protagonists of each have woven into the fabric of their country - was the theme of the midday discussions in the Park Hill barbershop as Jan. 19 and 20 drew closer.

"Martin Luther King's legacy is all around us; it represents opportunity, it represents choice, it represents recognition, it represents vision," said Mike Harden, 49, a former Denver Broncos player, adding, "and his vision has far exceeded his lifetime.

"Remember how he talked about not judging someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character?"

Across the room, swathed in a smock and "savoring" Inauguration Day, 51-year-old George Jackson Jr. insisted that without King's vision "I don't think Obama would have had the opportunity to be elected president."

"King started the process of getting the majority of Americans to believe that a man of color could be the leader of all the people."

That last point resonated with Naroshay Ausler, 57. "When it comes down to it, I hope people will look at Barack not just as a black president but as president of all the people. I think that's how Martin Luther King would have looked at it."

Beverly Dixon agreed. She sat in her chair and said: "I'll be glad when everybody quits using the words the first. The first black president, the first this, the first that. Everybody is one now. He's gonna be president for us all."

On the day this happens, well, none of Stan Stewart's clients should expect a haircut or a shave. At least not according to the sign stuck to the mirror behind his chair - the one that said in all capital letters, STAN WILL BE OFF INAUGURATION DAY.

He'll be glued to the TV in his house, unlike Nicole Melons, who will be glued to the TV in the House of Hair.

"I'll be working that day," said one of Stewart's colleagues. "But I'll have the set in here blasting. I'll probably even keep the door open for anybody walking by to listen. Or they can come in, I don't care. This is big!"

So big that the day before the inauguration, the national holiday that has been set aside to honor Martin Luther King and his legacy, is perhaps being eclipsed.

"Everybody's talking about Obama - and they should be," Dixon said. "But nobody's talking about Martin Luther King, and that's wrong."

Many of those at the House of Hair don't view King as some dusty footnote from history. To them, his rich baritone voice still trembles and soars. To them, April 4, 1968, is a day forever draped in mourning crepe.

This year, Stewart expected that MLK Day would "seem different. He was a leader, and it'll be the usual celebration of what he did. But there'll be a lot of anticipation about the new leader and what the future holds."

Scissors held in midsnip, Stewart said, "You know, God sends special people down here for a purpose. He sent us Martin Luther King. Now he's sent us Obama."

Although they weren't certain about whether they'd attend any of Monday's activities, Stewart and Jackson were more certain about what King might think about the Obama inauguration.

"Dr. King would probably say, 'Praise God!' don't you think, Stan?" Jackson said.

"More like 'Hallelujah!' " Stewart said. "You know, we used to sing We Shall Overcome. Well, you know what? We overcame."

With that, he returned to the next head of hair, a small, distracted smile on his lips. Like a man thinking about a Dream - past, present and future.

Martin Luther King Day events

* The Marade: This year's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. march and parade is scheduled for Monday. Participants will congregate at the King memorial in City Park at 8:30 a.m. The Marade will begin at 10 a.m. and participants will march together to the Civic Center, where cake will be served. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. yearbook will be signed again this year at the State Capitol, and program festivities are expected to end at 1 p.m.

* The Rodeo: The Martin Luther King Jr. African-American Rodeo of Champions aims to show how black cowboys and cowgirls affected the West throughout history. The Rodeo will take place on Monday at 6 p.m. at the Denver Coliseum. Reserved seating for this event costs between $12 and $35.

* The 11th annual Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast is scheduled for 9 to 11 a.m. Monday at the dining hall at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton.

Call to Service

* Dozens of service opportunities for Coloradans are listed on the USAservice.org Web site, including a cleanup in Bible Park in Denver, blood drives at various locations around the metro area and food drives. Go to the Web site and click on Find an Event to locate a service event in your area.

Comments

  • January 18, 2009

    2:10 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Who_Me writes:

    Stand proud on MLK day, but don't stand on MLK Blvd unless you're looking to get jacked, mugged, robbed, etc.

  • January 18, 2009

    3:57 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    INC writes:

    Who_Me,
    Do you know what a stereotype is? I have an image of you now... white sheet, burning crosses, republican...

  • January 18, 2009

    5:13 p.m.

    rapelje writes:

    (This comment was removed by the site staff.)

  • January 18, 2009

    5:42 p.m.

    rapelje writes:

    (This comment was removed by the site staff.)

  • January 18, 2009

    6:04 p.m.

    INC writes:

    (This comment was removed by the site staff.)

  • January 18, 2009

    6:17 p.m.

    rapelje writes:

    (This comment was removed by the site staff.)

  • January 18, 2009

    6:32 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    seeker writes:

    I read these posts up through INC at 6:04 pm and they were not offensive. Why were they removed?

  • January 18, 2009

    6:36 p.m.

    rapelje writes:

    (This comment was removed by the site staff.)

  • January 18, 2009

    6:42 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    INC writes:

    it was a history lesson of why the south historically votes the way it does. and examples of why it does. along with the deviance's from its history, of the "modern" republican party.

  • January 18, 2009

    6:45 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    rapelje writes:

    You are right, there was not one offensive thing that had been said, but because the staff doesn't believe in free speech it is removed!

  • January 18, 2009

    6:49 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    INC writes:

    On MLK Day, We should look at the progress of how far our country has come. Thus as to why Tuesday is such a Milestone is in the History of our great nation.

    prime reading for deep Thought (even you mods)

    http://www.editorandpublisher.com/ean...

    http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/l...

    its about a news paper apologizing for its past omissions.

  • January 18, 2009

    7:13 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    seeker writes:

    LBJ signed the Civil Rights Bill and being a southerner from Texas, he knew the Democrats would lose the white southern votes. But he did so because it was the right thing to do. The southern political picture changed from that day forward. It went Republican because the Republicans were against the Civil Rights Bill. This should tell you something about the Republicans during this time.It's why African Americans became Democrats in great numbers. It is also why the Republicans have been persistently viewed whether fairly or not as the party of whites.

    LBJ has never gotten the credit he deserves for his brave move. He answered the call of what was right instead of what was politically correct and safe at the time.

    The great thing about people is that they can change their minds. They can see what is wrong with something and decide what to do to fix it. That’s what LBJ and the Democrats did in the 60’s. The actions of the majority far out weigh the actions of the few.

    So regardless of Senator Byrd’s past affiliations, the Democrats carried the Civil Rights Movement ahead because it was the right thing to do. They were blocked, fought and filibustered continuously by the Republicans all the way and yes by some Democrats. Those Democrats became Republicans and the rest is history.

    "Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not."

  • January 18, 2009

    7:35 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    INC writes:

    Thank you seeker,
    the first part was about why the south became Democratic after the election of Lincoln the Republican.

  • January 18, 2009

    7:50 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Who_Me writes:

    I know some people know this, but what I posted actually has nothing to do with INC's insinuation about an affiliation I (don't) have. Yes, we have come a long way, but where and how? In other words, by what measures? This is a stereotype, based on evidence unfortunately, but every major city with an MLK-named semi-major thoroughfare lies within a blighted (to some degree) part of that city, and what they have in common is a high crime rate. Guess what the primary ethnicity of said area is.

    Why is that? If INC or anyone feels like I am being racist, I'm not. What I am saying is why don't you go stand on MLK and Dahlia at 1 or 2 in the morning and see how nice and normal that area is. Probably just as safe as Highlands Ranch Pkwy and Broadway.

  • January 18, 2009

    8:05 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    BHS1976 writes:

    How about he give a speech witout da telepromtor, Martin would be so proud if he'd just once do it from the heart, can't wait for this puppet to be da man. God help us all

  • January 18, 2009

    8:09 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    LoneTreeLady75 writes:

    rapelje,
    The RMN is a private publication, not Government owned. Free speech doesnt apply here, which means they can censor whomever and whatever they want.

  • January 18, 2009

    8:11 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    seeker writes:

    Who_Me

    The Civil Rights Movement was historical, but sadly, it didn't make the underlying racism go away. Blacks are still not where they should be in our society. You can get many different opinions on why from a diverse number of sources. The answers are as complex as they are numerous. But much progress has been made. I for one am witness to the great changes that America has gone through. When I was a child, segregation was the way things were. My brother and I could see the wrong of it as children and we were lucky enough to see it righted as adults and to be able to be a part of it.

    When my son was in his early twenties, in the 1980’s he got in a little trouble with the law. He was arrested and held in a local city jail here in the metro area, until we got him out. He told me later that the worst thing to be in America was a black man. That the way the black men he was jailed with were treated was shameful. He came away with a deeper understanding of what African American men have to deal with in our society.

    Maybe now, with the election of Obama, African Americans can take the next big step with the support of our country and have a more complete view of what’s possible in America.

  • January 18, 2009

    8:12 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    LoneTreeLady75 writes:

    Oh, and Who_Me, my in-laws live off of Dexter and MLK. The only thing I would fear about standing on that corner is the speed demons that think its ok to go 55mph in a 35.

  • January 18, 2009

    9:09 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    INC writes:

    BHS1976,
    Secessionist Sarah Palin and McSame, used a teleprompter too...

  • January 18, 2009

    9:21 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    INC writes:

    Who_Me,
    I have worked along MLK Blv.
    Frankly I prefer Daddy Bruce. St. or Blv. I am not sure(Better BBQ anyway)

    Lone tree Lady,
    I apologize if I ever scared you, it is easy to loose track and speed along MLK.

  • January 19, 2009

    8:58 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Who_Me writes:

    Could have been me delivering papers around 4-5am. Sorry if I scared you.