Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. I was too young to be aware of that event at the time it happened, but Dr. King's life and struggle have nonetheless been the measure of my generation's own political journey. He demonstrated the power of non-violent -- but active, firm and unyielding -- resistance to tyranny.

I was privileged to attend a Martin Luther King remembrance ceremony and community unity rally last night at Douglass Memorial Church of God in Christ in Meacham Park. This wasn't a "campaign event" as such for me, although I did introduce myself as a candidate to the wonderful people I met at the rally.

Most people in the St. Louis area will recognize Meacham Park as a troubled neighborhood -- annexed in the early 1990s by neighboring Kirkwood and partially eradicated (using the government's power of eminent domain) for "economic development." Many will remember that earlier this year, a resident of Meacham Park, Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton, killed several Kirkwood city officials and was himself killed by police, after some long-festering disputes related to the neighborhood's situation.

What most people won't know, if they weren't at last night's rally or haven't spent time in Meacham Park, is the spirit of healing -- and determination to secure equal justice for themselves and those around them -- that moves in this neighborhood.

That spirit was very much in evidence at the rally as the crowd was addressed by several local candidates and officials, including mayoral candidate Michael Moore, school board candidate Carl Jones and Kirkwood city councilman Paul Ward. The event was organized and chaired by Zaki Baruti of the Universal African People's Organization.

Meacham Park Neighborhood Improvement Association President Harriet Patton spoke about a divide between Meacham Park and Kirkwood, going back more than 40 years to a time when five residents perished after white firefighters refused to enter the black neighborhood to save a burning home.

Gerald Thornton struggled to communicate his feelings about the pressures that had led his brother to a tragic end in February. He tried to put into words the cornered feelings of citizens at odds with their own government.

The compelling part of all this is that none of it was offered in a tone of hatred or vengeance, but rather in sadness at past wrongs and a clearly expressed determination to move forward in the footsteps of Dr. King -- and to secure liberty and equality for all.

As I said, this was not a "campaign event" from my perspective. It was just an opportunity to get to know some of the people whom I'm asking for the privilege of representing in Congress. I hope to meet many more of you, and to get to know you better, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to do so.

In particular, I'd like to thank Reverend Larry Addison of Douglass Memorial Church of God in Christ for opening his church's sanctuary to this event. Douglass Memorial reminds me very much of the Pentecostal churches I grew up attending in southern Missouri, and I look forward to returning there for a regular Sunday service some time in the near future.