Pres. Obama commemorated “the third anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death” – but, not before recalling a bloody story of a race-related shooting – at a Black History Month Reception at the White House Thursday.
Obama also thanked Trayvon’s parents for joining him at the reception:
“And today, on the third anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death, showing all of our kids -- all of them -- every single day that their lives matter -- that's part of our task. I want to thank Trayvon’s parents for being here on what’s a very difficult day for them.”
Obama prefaced the tribute to Trayvon by recounting a bloody tale of violence against an African-American shot for marching for the right to vote:
“We happen to be blessed to have some of those foot soldiers for justice here today, folks like Ms. Mattie Atkins. Ms. Mattie Atkins, wave just a little bit. She’s right here. (Applause.) Early in 1965, Mattie -- who was just 27 years old, mother of five -- joined with others in her community to march around the Marion Courthouse for their right to vote. And tensions ran high. The threat of violence mounted. But at night, the protesters would gather in a church and resolve to come back the next day.
“And Ms. Atkins remembers the terrible violence on the night protesters tried to march to the jail, the night that Jimmie Lee Jackson was shot. Ms. Atkins remembers running into the church for safety, wiping the blood from the face of a fellow protester, and then going home to her children who were sleeping safe and sound in their beds.
“And she still went back the next day, because despite the doubts and the fear, she knew that she was doing the right thing for her children and their future. And Ms. Atkins went on to help register folks to vote. She ran for office herself, became the first woman elected to her local school board in Perry County.”
Obama went on to invoke the 1965 Selma voting rights marches:
“Next week, the world will turn its eyes to Selma again. And when it does, I want everyone to remember that it was because of people like Ms. Atkins and all the others who are here today that we celebrate. But they also remind us, they stand as testimonials to the fact that one day a year is not enough to honor the kind of courage that they showed. One month a year is not sufficient to take on their example and to celebrate the power of a movement. That’s something that we have to do, each and every one of us, every day, living up to their example, then handing it on to our own children, and our children’s children.”