HARRISBURG, Pa.— 50 years ago, on this day in 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed on a motel balcony in Memphis, Tenn. Val DiGiorgio, Chairman of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania issued the following statement:
“It is with great sadness that we remember how on this day 50 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. was taken from the world before his time. However, this day also gives us cause to remember–and celebrate–the powerful strides forward that King led for African-Americans; most notably all his civil rights achievements were via peaceful means.
“The ability to admire the differences between us–which comprise our power as individuals–while also seeing the similarities present in our shared humanity, is part of being an effective leader in any capacity. Having been born and raised in south Philadelphia I was fortunate to have learned to admire and interact with diverse groups of people from an early age.
“As I continue my term as Chairman of the PA GOP, I hope to continue outreach to diverse Pennsylvania communities in an effort to remind them, and all of Pennsylvania that King’s dream has not died.”
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