Former Pennsylvania state rep reflects on 58 years since Martin Luther King Jr. speech

ELYRIA — What would Martin Luther King Jr think if he were alive today? He'd be disappointed and heartbroken, yet encouraged by the conversations taking place, said former Republican Pennsylvania State Rep. Harry Lewis Jr. Disappointed that more than 50 years after King gave his famous speech, Americans still have not been able to figure out peace, love and tolerance toward each other despite differences, Lewis said. Heartbroken because differences are still culminating in deadly violence, he said. But, Lewis said he thinks King also would be encouraged by conversations that finally have started to take place. Lewis addressed Lorain County Community College staff and students in a virtual MLK event on the first day back to college Tuesday. Celebrations of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday were marked by mixed emotions as the country is in the midst of turmoil, Lewis said. But he said it's more important than ever to honor and reflect on King's message. "What the last four years and the recent attempted coup has made noticeably clear is that we still have not gotten to the heart of the matter," Lewis said. "Racial issues may have been dealt with superficially, and while so much good has come of efforts to this point, we need to dig deeper and do more." For about five minutes, Lewis met King when he was a college student at Winston Salem University, near Greensboro, North Carolina. He and several of his classmates were star track runners. When they traveled to other colleges, Lewis said they experienced degradations and indignities. Colleges would sometimes put up the results of the track meet and wouldn't list Lewis or his classmates even when they won. "That made us angry," Lewis said. "We were ready to throw bricks." But Jesse Jackson, who lived in the area and was a close friend of King, heard how the track teammates were feeling. He asked King to come and speak to them. Lewis said he was in a room with eight of his classmates and King came in and spoke to them for about five minutes. "After listening to that man, he flipped me as fast as I can flip my fingers," Lewis said. "And I said, 'When I go back to my community, I'm going to follow this man.' It resonated with me. His speech still resonates with me." After rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Lewis said he thought that things haven't changed over 50 years. King's "I Have A Dream" speech is still relevant today. Lewis encouraged young people of color to continue to press forward peacefully. At the heart of it, Lewis said King's speech is simple: it's about caring for one another. Everyone has been commissioned to live the dream that King spoke of, Lewis said. And it's up to everyone to live out those principles. "Now the band aid has been ripped off and it's time to address the pain and truly heal," Lewis said. "I think it's a bit like renovating a house. It's going to get messy and feel a little out of control, but with a point of focus and a plan, the outcome will be glorious." Contact Laina Yost at (440) 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com.