'This is America,' Academy Award winner Kevin Willmott says of audience at Topeka event

Academy Award winner Kevin Willmott liked what he saw Monday evening as he looked out upon the racially diverse audience attending a Topeka celebration of the anniversary of a monumental day in the struggle for civil rights.

"When I look out here tonight, this is America," he said. "Black, white, brown faces. This is what Dr. King died for. This is what makes America great."

Willmott told of how the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. believed in creating the “Beloved Community,” a society where people team up to pursue the common goal of eliminating poverty, hunger, bigotry and violence.

But unfortunately, some people in this country don't believe in eliminating those things, Willmott said.

"And so the question becomes, 'What are we going to do about it?'" he said.

Event celebrated 60th anniversary of historic march

Willmott was keynote speaker for Monday evening's celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Aug. 28, 1963, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, during which King gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

More than 130 people attended the gathering, which was organized by Michael Bell, Danielle Twemlow and Pamela Johnson-Betts. The audience filled the pews at New Mount Zion Baptist Church, where the celebration took place.

The event was held to recall and celebrate the 1963 march, remind those present that "the struggle continues" and give participants a chance to refocus on what still needs to be done, Willmott told The Capital-Journal last week.

Those present heard a recording of King's "I Have a Dream" speech before Willmott spoke.

Willmott, a native of Junction City, is a filmmaker and scriptwriter, as well as a professor of film at the University of Kansas.

He teamed up with Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz and Charlie Wachtel to win an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for their work on Lee's 2018 film, "BlacKkKlansman."

'Though we've come a long way, we yet have a long way to go'

Willmott was preceded to the lectern by the Rev. Delmar White, pastor of New Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, who said, "The race is not given to the swift or the strong, but to he who endures until the end."

White noted that cards handed out to members of Monday's audience cited statistics reflecting how Black Topekans tend to be worse off than their white counterparts in areas that include income, infant mortality and the likelihood of having lethal force used upon them by police.

White said he shared that information "not to discourage us but to remind us that though we've come a long way, we yet have a long way to go."

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka event celebrates 60th anniversary of 'I Have a Dream' speech