‘I I Have a Dream’ speech re-enacted at school

Students at Walnut Creek Elementary School in McDonough were graced with a living history lesson on Friday morning.

Eddie Tomlinson, the school’s head custodian, brought an unique dimension to commemorations of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he re-enacted the slain civil rights leader’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech during two morning assemblies.

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Courtesy of Walnut Creek Elementary School

Walnut Creek Elementary’s head custodian, Eddie Tomlinson re-enacted Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech during two morning assemblies.

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Tomlinson was 12 when he first memorized the speech, and has been re-enacting the historic address for nearly 30 years.

“On Monday, when our children are out of school celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, I want them to reflect about the lessons that this great patriot taught all of us,” said school principal Terry Hall. “I want to be sure that all our students, regardless of color, gender or religious persuasion, understand that Dr. King was speaking to them when he spoke of his dream. I want our students to understand that Dr. King stood for hope, justice and equality for all men.”

Evoking the same tone and inflection that King used while giving the speech at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 28, 1963, Tomlinson presented the speech in its entirely, prefacing it with a brief lesson on Kind and his Henry County ties. King’s father, Martin Luther King, Sr., was born and raised in Stockbridge.

“I was a student at Ft. Valley State University in 1980, before we had a national Martin Luther King Day,” Tomlinson said. “The students decided to march in support of making it a holiday. I gave the speech in front of the Ft. Valley city hall that day.”

The message appeared to resonate with school students.

That was just the idea, Hall said.

“It is our responsibility as educators to teach our children to embrace the diversity that exists not only in our school, but in our world,” he said.