Mayor Jones on 50th Anniversary of March on Washington

Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones issued the following statement today following President Barack Obama’s speech recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington:

“Fifty years ago today, I was 15 and traveling through Washington, DC with my parents on the day Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his historic speech to this nation. Today, President Barack Obama also delivered a historic speech marking this 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington. Reflecting on Martin Luther King’s lasting legacy and listening to the President today reminds me that I stand on the shoulders of the men and women who marched in Washington. I haven’t lost sight of the fact that I am an African-American mayor in a once terribly segregated Jim Crow city: the former capital of the Confederacy. My path to this seat in office is a direct reflection of the gains made as a result of the Civil Rights movement. But even as I reflect on the many gains and tremendous strides, I don’t discount the racial and cultural divides that still exists on many fronts and the work that still must be done. I am encouraged today to continue to follow Dr. King’s example: to lead with dignity and discipline. I am encouraged to stay focused on work to help close the wealth and employment gap, to combat poverty and to fight for jobs, progress and equal opportunity for all. I know that the gains that have been made won’t be turned back because a majority of Americans are looking at those things that unite us and move us forward. President Barack Obama himself is a symbol of that and his remarks today will go down in history as a beacon to the future for us all.”