"It's been 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr. first stepped onto the civil rights stage and grabbed the world's attention.

The civil rights movement, led by eminent black leaders such as King, opened doors for black people to rightfully be treated as human beings.

But how much has changed for Native people?

King captured our imagination with riveting oration skills and unforgettable words. His �I Have a Dream� speech ranks as one of the most memorable speeches ever delivered, anywhere.

In his opening lines, he wrote: �Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation � One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.�"

Get the Story:
Jodi Rave: Decades later, King's speech still applies to Indian Country (The Missoulian 1/16)

Relevant Links:
Jodi Rave Lee - http://www.missoulian.com/jodirave

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