Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King’s influence on generations of Americans

Retired Army Brig. Gen. Henry Huntley was just a 7-year-old boy when he first saw his mother cry. He remembers that day like it was yesterday.

The date was April 4, 1968 – the day that civil rights pioneer Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

On Monday, the nation remembers and celebrates the legacy of Dr. King.

“In his eloquent words and in the peaceful, compassionate life he lived, Dr. King gave our nation an inspired and inspiring vision,” VA Secretary Bob McDonald shared in a message this week.

“Though many years have passed, Dr. King’s lesson is relevant to the way we conduct our own lives,” McDonald continued. “It encourages kindness and patience in how we treat one another. It shapes how we might consider the unique and often unspoken personal experiences and challenges of our friends, families, colleagues, fellow citizens, and the Veterans and families we serve—and to whom we are devoted. And it reinforces the virtue of our own I-CARE values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect and excellence.”

Inspired by Dr. King’s legacy, Huntley continues his service to the nation now as a VA employee. In this video, he recalls that terrible time in American history and the impact of King’s life and death on him and other Veterans.