WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — For the Rev. Milton Cole-Duvall, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is more than just a holiday—it's a reminder of what King fought for, and of Rev. Cole's days marching alongside him.
"You know it's part of the movement and then you later see how it's covered in the media – television, New York Times – then you think, 'Gosh. This was a big deal and I was there,'" Rev. Cole said
Rev. Cole was a student at the College of William & Mary in Virginia when he marched with a group following King in Selma and then at the nation's capitol for the historic March on Washington.
"We were pretty close to the Lincoln Memorial. We were at the foot of monument where the steps are," he said. "John Lewis was there, Amelia Boynton. It was an amazing throng of people."
Rev. Cole said the experience has grown more significant with time.
"It's only in reflecting the next day, the next year, the next decades, that I can say that was unbelievably amazing," he said.
This makes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day about more than just the 24 hours the holiday is observed.
"It's a one-day reminder of that we have obligations, duty, and work to do the remainder 364 days of the year until we come to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day next year," Rev. Cole said.
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