The 21st Annual Local 2195 Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was held Sunday January 16, 2005 at the Holiday Inn in Decatur. This annual event is one of the longest running tribute of its type with in the UAW. Each year the tribute features special music and speakers to commemorate the life and Dr. King and honors his memory through the presentation of scholarships for high school seniors.

The 2005 Tribute began with introductions by UAW Local 2195 Scholarship Committee Chair Kenneth Davis. The Emcee for this year’s event was Michael Chapman with special music being provided by Arthur Warrior and the Divine Purpose. Pastor Warrior is a Local 2195 retiree.

Local 2195 President Terry Scruggs welcomed the crowd. “Dr. King did so much for so many,” Terry stated. “He is most remembered for his civil rights work, but his “Poor People’s Campaign” supported the cause of America’s workers. It was for that purpose that he was in Memphis on that fateful day in 1968 when he was killed. Today we have a number of high school seniors here interested in these scholarships. Dr. King had a plan and I encourage you seniors to develop a plan for your lives. Education is what truly makes us free. The UAW is proud to partner with Delphi in this event.”

Alabama Site Supervisor of HR Harry Fuller represented Delphi at the event. “Delphi is also proud to be a part of this event. The Bible teaches to train up a child in the way in which to go and when he is old he will not depart from it. When you go back and look at the Hebrew interpretation of this it means when they grow hairs on their face or become a man. For this example to work we must create an environment where a child wants to be trained. Delphi and the UAW work closely to make a difference in the community. Programs such as Partners in Education and this tribute to Dr. King help to foster that environment. To those high seniors in the audience I would add one other piece of scripture and that is from the book of Hebrews. The Hebrew writer encourages us to “run the race with endurance.” I say to you go out into the world and run your race with endurance and be all that you can.”

Local 2195 Shop Chairman Howard Greene concluded the introductions with a few words to those in attendance. “I would like to thank you all for coming and thank the Scholarship Committee for their hard work in planning this event. Dr. King was a strong supporter of organized labor and working people everywhere. The membership and leadership of this local union are proud to be a part of this tribute. The union is a social movement and that means being interested in making things better for everyone, not just our members. UAW President Walther Reuther marched with Dr. King in Detroit, in Selma and many other places. Dr. King faced much adversity and it would have been easy to give up, but he didn’t. He stayed the course and pressed on. Today, we have to continue this fight for change. The responsibility of building a better world has been passed on to us and we must keep up the battle. These high school seniors will become the leaders of tomorrow and they must keep up the charge to make the world a better place. We are proud to offer these scholarships to help prepare them for that role and we are proud to be a part of this tribute.”

Local 2195 members Leonard Skipworth introduced the featured speaker for the program, Retired Air Force Col. Arthur Graves. Col. Graves spent 22 years in the Air Force and retired and went to work for the University of North Alabama. He also retired from there after having spent 14 years at the college, serving on the President’s Council and as Assistant to the President. Col. Graves has also owned and operated Thompson and Son Funeral Home in Florence for the past 22 years.

“I am happy to be here today honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Col. Graves stated. “Of all the great Americans who have been honored with a national holiday, Dr. King is the only one who lived within our lifetime. I had the honor of meeting Dr. King and listening to him speak when I was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Montgomery in 1955. We used to go up to the Dexter Avenue Church and listen to Dr. King preach.

Dr. King was a very complex individual. See, God has a way of putting the right person, in the right place, at the right time to accomplish his will. He wasn’t a wealthy man, but a concerned man. He was concerned about social justice and the rights of all people. Unions were making a stand about the same time that Dr. King began his work so it was natural they would compliment each other. Great labor leaders like John Lewis and Walter Reuther had the same dream for America as Dr. King and they worked together to address social issues.

When labor and civil rights leaders joined forces they developed political clout. Together they had the power to push their agenda of equality for people of all races. However, through the course of time their clout has been fragmented to reduce their power. Race is no longer the issue that is used to separate people, but rather ideals. In the world there are moral obligations and there are legal rights. While we may not agree with a person’s moral’s convictions we should recognize their legal rights. This has become the modern issue used to divide people and it is allowing the breakdown of so much that was hard fought to win.

When Dr. King went to Memphis to support the striking garbage workers, too many folks thought their job wasn’t important. But I am here to tell you, let that garbage set out there at the curb a couple days and you will see just how important it is. Any cause worth defending is worth sacrificing for and Dr. King knew this all too well.

When John L. Lewis began his work of organizing the coal miners, the companies recognized the union provided that each segment of the workforce would have to be a different bargaining unit. That way their power was diminished because they would be fragmented. Lewis said no, that each person should belong to the same union – he felt that labor should practice inclusion rather than exclusion. Dr. King promoted the idea that the more a person earned the more he would spend. He knew this would stimulate the economy and grow more jobs for all. Exclusion is still practiced in this country today. They tell us that private schools are better than our public schools. I am sorry I beg to differ. The United States Public School system has educated some of the greatest minds the world has even known. It was educated the masses that developed the greatest economy the world has ever known. It did it through inclusion and not exclusion.

To these high school seniors here today let me say to you, go out and get your degree and prepare for the future. Once will have the degree, the world will educate you. Dr. King didn’t tell someone else what to do, and got up and went out and done it. Remember Dr. King and his dream, but I would also encourage you to go out and get a dream of your own. When we carry on the idea of building a better world than the one we found, then we truly honor the man and his work.

I am proud to stand here with you today as part of this tribute. The union is a social movement and social justice is about creating a world where everyone has opportunity. Does that mean that it is easy – no it just means that if you are willing to work you can make a difference.

It would have been easy for Dr. King to give up and quit, but he didn’t. Dr. King continued the fight for social justice to the end and we have to do the same. The moment we give up is the moment that we begin to lose what has been gained. Building a better world is our responsibility and it takes us all working together. Thank you for inviting me and thank you for continuing this tradition.”

At the conclusion of Col. Graves speech a drawing was held for four $1000 scholarships. The winners were:
- Andy Maples
- Brandon Wiggins
- Patrick Whatley
- Chip Owens