Urbandale, Help Us Write History on Historic Nexus of Inauguration, MLK Day: Call for Uploads

Talk about stars aligning.

The 2013 Inaugural Ceremony swearing in the nation’s first African-American president to a second term and the observance honoring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. occur on the same day.

The two historic occasions have intersected only seven other times in U.S. history, making this coming Jan. 21 a truly historic day.

Officially, Inauguration Day falls on Jan. 20 every four years. But that’s a Sunday, so the inauguration ceremony slides a day ahead, ramming smack into Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

It’s a kind of kismet, the NAACP’s Hilary Shelton told the Washington Post.

“It works so well together,” said Shelton, the vice president of policy and advocacy for the civil rights organization and director of its Washington, DC bureau “It’s a wonderful thing, because so many people that support Dr. King’s legacy and believe in his dream will be coming to this inauguration.”

Shelton said many Americans see Obama’s policy agenda as “something that supports Dr. King’s vision.”

“If we look at the agenda put forward by this administration, we see a direct correlation with what Dr. King worked for and died for,” he said.

How will you mark this historic intersection? Make your participation part of the permanent record on Urbandale Patch. Here are some ways

If you’re attending the inaugural ceremonies or any of the parties – for example, the First in the Nation Celebration commemorating Iowans’ prominent role in the presidential vetting process – choose Pics & Clips on the menu bar and upload them in our Neighborhood Gallery.

Do the same if you’re attending an Inaugural Address watch party. Why not publicize it in advance in an announcement or under events?

Martin Luther King Day is typically observed as a national day of service. List volunteer opportunities on Patch.

Both the inaugural ceremonies and Martin Luther King holiday evoke strong feelings of patriotism. Add your personal narrative to our Local Voices. You can apply and start blogging in a few simple steps. Tell us what’s important about this time in history, about the lessons learned in our stories civil rights history and what still needs to be done to ensure equality to all.