Honoring Dr. King

Dear Friend,

This week we honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was assassinated 45 years ago yesterday. As we mark his passing, we strive to continue his unfinished work so that every American has access to honest work, fair wages, affordable housing, and the ability to earn and enjoy a decent life.

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. King Memorial Events in Memphis
Memphis Soul at the White House
Millington Regional Jetport
Incoming Service Academy Students
Kingsbury High School
Small Business Alliance Laundromat and Resource Center
Emancipation Proclamation and Rosa Parks Stamps
April 4th Commemorative Banquet
Distinguished Speaker Series
FTC Announces Robocall Challenge Winners
Mid-South Food Bank
Help Filing Taxes
EnergySmart Memphis
Grant Announcements

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.


On Thursday, 45 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. In Memphis, where an assassin’s bullet took Dr. King’s life, his death has particular significance. As we consider the life and legacy of one of America’s greatest citizens, we should remember that the dream he articulated has still not been fully realized. Before he was tragically murdered, Dr. King was working toward the pursuit of economic and social justice for all Americans. Nearly 50 years later, millions of Americans today are still living through ‘a long night of injustice’ in the form of economic hardship, diminished opportunity, and a lack of social mobility.

In the spring of 1968, Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference were preparing to launch the Poor People’s Campaign, a second march on Washington to confront, in his words, a Congress that ‘appropriates military funds with alacrity and generosity,’ but that also ‘appropriates poverty funds with miserliness and grudging reluctance.’ He could have spoken those same words today.

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We have come a long way as a nation towards racial equality, even though there is still much work left to be done. But in terms of economic justice, America has moved backwards. Today, workers earning the federal minimum wage have less purchasing power than minimum wage earners in 1968. Millions of families are facing foreclosure and bankruptcy, and Memphis is one of the cities hardest-hit by the recession. If we truly want to honor the legacy of Dr. King, we must continue his unfinished work and ensure that every American has access to honest work, fair wages, affordable housing, and the ability to earn and enjoy a decent life.

Dr. King Memorial Events in Memphis


On Wednesday I participated in a discussion on economic and racial justice in honor of Dr. King’s famed Mountaintop Speech at Mason Temple. I discussed the impact that federal legislation can have at the local level, the Paul Ryan budget, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, voting rights, voter ID laws, Civil Rights and other important topics facing our country. Other notable speakers who participated included Benjamin Todd Jealous of the NAACP, Terry O’Neil of the National Organization for Women, Van Jones of Rebuild the Dream, Lee Saunders of AFSCME, and Karen Finney of MSNBC, and Martin Luther King III.


And yesterday a local street was renamed “1968 Strikers Lane” in honor of the Memphis sanitation workers strike that ended 12 days after Dr. King’s assassination. A march immediately followed the renaming from AFSCME Local 1733 at 485 Beale Street to the National Civil Rights Museum at 450 Mulberry Street, where a rally was held. I attended and spoke at the rally at the Civil Rights Museum. Click here to learn more.

Memphis Soul at the White House
The sounds of Memphis Soul will fill the White House next Tuesday when President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host “Memphis Soul,” the 10th in the White House’s In Performance at the White House concert series.

Performers at the White House will include Justin Timberlake, William Bell, Steve Cropper, Sam Moore, Booker T. Jones, Queen Latifah, Ben Harper, Cyndi Lauper, Charlie Musselwhite, and Mavis Staples. The show is scheduled to be taped and will be aired April 16 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings). It will also be streamed live at www.whitehouse.gov/live starting at 6:55 p.m. ET.

In the past, these events hosted by the President and First Lady have honored the musical genius of Stevie Wonder, Sir Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach and Hal David; celebrated Hispanic musical heritage during Hispanic Heritage Month; marked Black History Month with events featuring music from the Civil Rights Movement, Motown and the Blues; spotlighted Broadway and the unique spirit of the American musical; and explored the rich roots and resiliency of Country Music. Click here to learn more.

Millington Regional Jetport
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that it will delay the closures of all 149 federal contract air traffic control towers until June 15, including the tower at Millington Regional Jetport. Last month, the FAA announced it would eliminate funding for these towers as part of the agency’s required $637 million budget cuts under sequestration. I am concerned about the tower being shut down and have sent two letters to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta expressing my concern and its negative effects on the 9th District. I urged him to reconsider the shuttering of the tower.

The closing of the air traffic control tower at Millington Regional Jetport would have a negative impact on aviation safety, cargo flow, and economic growth. The flow of cargo is so important to our country’s economy, especially in the Memphis region with FedEx. In the 1950s people used to say what is good for General Motors is good for the country; but today, what’s good for FedEx is good for the nation. It’s important that we do our best to find a way to keep this air traffic control tower open. This is exactly why I voted against the bill that created the committee that resulted in the sequestration option. The negative impact of sequestration was obvious then and should have been foreseen by my colleagues in Congress.

Incoming Service Academy Students


On Tuesday I welcomed this fall’s incoming students who were accepted into the U.S. Service Academies. The local students who were awarded service academy appointments are: Ethan King, Air Force, Homelife Academy; Andrew Raves, Naval, Memphis University School; Samuel Payne, Merchant Marine, First Assembly Christian School; Christopher Walker, Military, Memphis University School; Joseph Woolfork, Military, University of Montevallo; Albert Joe, Military, White Station High School.

Kingsbury High School

On Wednesday I toured Kingsbury High School and met with students to discuss scholarship opportunities and the value of pursuing a higher education. In March, students from the school participating in La Raza and Latino Memphis visited my Washington D.C. office to discuss the importance and value of education and Congress’ efforts on comprehensive immigration reform, which I support.

Small Business Alliance Laundromat and Resource Center


This week I participated in the Southwest Memphis Alliance Community Laundromat and Resource Center grand opening. In 2007, the South Memphis Alliance spent $100,000 to buy an old laundromat across the street from the Old Reed Dairy Building that was slated to become a nightclub. Housing and Community Development and the Assisi Foundation of Memphis Inc. provided around $1 million to turn the property into a Community Laundry and Resource Center, a unique setting to connect families and individuals with social services. I’m proud that some of the funds for this project, roughly half a million dollars, came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which I strongly supported in 2009. Reginald Milton, executive director of the South Memphis Alliance, is doing a great job on this project. The laundromat will act as an anchor in the community and will provide many resources for local families in need.

Emancipation Proclamation and Rosa Parks Stamps
This week I attended a ceremony unveiling the ‘Land of the Free’ Emancipation Proclamation and the ‘Home of the Brave’ Rosa Parks commemorative stamps. Stamps tap into our culture and help us remember the events and people who have had an impact on American history. The Emancipation Proclamation and Rosa Parks are two hallmark events that are worthy of commemoration from the United States Postal Service. The Emancipation Proclamation stamp commemorates the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln signing the document on January 1, 1863. And Rosa Parks is affectionately known as “The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” She also was the first African American woman to be honored with a full-length statue in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall. I was proud to attend the ceremony along with President Obama.

April 4th Commemorative Banquet

Yesterday I attended and spoke at the April 4th Foundation Commemorative Banquet, “Climbing the Ladder of Success When the Ladder is Shaky and Some Steps are Still Missing,” at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The Keynote Speaker -- Pastor Alvin O'Neal Jackson (Pastor of Park Avenue Christian Church in New York City) -- gave a truly inspirational speech. For almost 20 years, Dr. Jackson was Senior Pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church of Memphis. Honorees included the Birmingham Civil Right Institute and Dr. Tommie T. Stewart, former professor at Jackson State, dean at Alabama State, and actress best known for her role as “Aunt Etta” on the television series “In the Heat of the Night,” and movies, “A Time to Kill” and “Mississippi Burning.” I commend Johnson E. Saulsberry Jr. for founding and continuing the program to carry on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for 13 strong years. My Memphis staff also attended the event.

Distinguished Speaker Series
On Wednesday I spoke at the Distinguished Speaker Series hosted by the University of Memphis School of Law Student Bar Association. I am a graduate of the law school and discussed my work in Washington and Memphis, sequestration, the federal debt, the War on Drugs, and other important topics. The Distinguished Speaker Series was established to educate, inspire, and facilitate conversation about important issues within the law school and the Memphis legal community at large.

FTC Announces Robocall Challenge Winners
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced that judges for the FTC Robocall Challenge selected two winners in a tie for the $50,000 prize for Best Overall Solution to block illegal robocalls. The challenge, designed to help solve this problem by spurring innovation in the marketplace, garnered nearly 800 eligible submissions. I strongly oppose robocalls and have contacted the FTC to end this intrusive practice. Click here to learn more.

Mid-South Food Bank
The Mid-South Food Bank located at 239 South Dudley in Memphis was founded in 1981. A 501(c)(3) charitable organization, they are a member of Feeding America, the national network of food banks. They also are a founding member of the Safety Net Collaborative and their mission is to fight hunger through the efficient collection and distribution of wholesome food, and through education and advocacy. Their Vision: A hunger-free Mid-South. Emergency food providers include food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. Other agencies are youth programs, senior programs, residential programs, rehabilitation programs, daycares and schools. Click here to learn more about the Mid-South Food Bank.

Help Filing Taxes
Tax filing season began on January 30 and ends in less than two weeks. Here is a link that you can use to find the nearest IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site. Constituents earning less than $57,000 per year can file for free. There are a lot of tax scams out there, even in Memphis. I encourage you to use this website to find an IRS-approved tax consultant who can help you for free. You can also file online directly through the IRS here: https://www.irs.gov/Filing

EnergySmart Memphis
EnergySmart Memphis is a year-long energy education and home improvement initiative designed to help Memphians save money on their energy costs. EnergySmart Memphis is a partnership between MLGW, City and County government agencies, Community Development Corporations and non-profit organizations, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Through EnergySmart Memphis, an estimated 3,000 MLGW customers will receive in-depth energy conservation training; eligible customers will have weatherization improvements made to their home through this initiative; a series of Energy Education Workshops will be conducted city and county-wide at area libraries; and the initiative includes weatherization kits for qualified homeowners to receive minor and major home repairs. Click here to learn more.

Grant Announcements
I regularly release a list of grant announcements from federal agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, and others. These federal funding opportunities are available to faith-based and neighborhood associations, nonprofits and other community organizations in the 9th district. The announcements are updated regularly on my website.

Wishing you a happy and safe weekend,

As always, I remain,

Most sincerely,

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress