Staff photo by krista Husa

Pursuit Of Peace

After Sept. 11, local communities find special meaning in
Dr. King's message of peaceful co-existence.

In West Bloomfield

In Southfield

RONELLE GRIER

DIANA LIEBERMAN

Special to the Jewish News

IF

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ith banners held high, more than 850
Americans of all ages, races, ethnic
backgrounds and religious persua-
sions braved inclement weather to
honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on
Monday, Jan. 21, during the eighth annual
"United We Walk" program at West Bloomfield
High School.
The events began Sunday evening with a candle-
light vigil that included songs, readings and pre-
sentations by students and clergy.
Monday's program opened with the "Children's
Anthem," an original composition by David
Mayer, West Bloomfield resident and parent of a
Scotch Elementary School student. A multi-school
student choir performed the song.
Speakers included U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-
Mich., and U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-
Bloomfield Hills, and a keynote address by Hue!
Perkins, WJBK-TV2 news anchor.
Sen. Levin expressed how relevant Dr. King's phi-
losophy is in light of today's "sickening violence."
WEST BLOOMFIELD on page 14

Copy Editor

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s crowds gathered for Southfield's 17th
annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace
Walk and celebration, Gerald Kuhn of
Southfield reflected on the changes he's
seen in his 70 years.
"I served in a segregated army," said Kuhn, who is
black. "I remember when I couldn't go into a
Sanders [restaurant]. There's been a lot of progress
— but there needs to be more."
Alongside Kuhn, who is Southfield's humanservic-
es director, was his friend Judge Stephen Cooper of
the 46th District Court. Tension between black and
Jewish residents "has never been a problem in
Southfield," Judge Cooper said. "The message of this
day is still alive. We are all put on this planet to see if
we can get along together."
Nearly 1,000 residents of Southfield and other south-
east Michigan cities took to the streets Monday for the
mile-long peace walk. The predominately black crowd
marched,from Hope United Methodist Church to the
Southfield.Pavilion for a program that included song,
dance, video and theater presentations as well as the read-
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