National Day of Reconciliation

Proclamation 6661 of April 3, 1994

National Day of Reconciliation

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In this season of Easter and Passover, as we mark the
twenty-sixth anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., I call upon every American to reflect
on the meaning of his teachings, to measure the
progress we have made in achieving the dream he shared,
and to rededicate ourselves to the end of violence and
to the true spirit of community for which he lived and
died. We must remain a Nation that is not too cynical
to restore hope, not too frightened to face our
problems, and not too intolerant to seek
reconciliation.

Too many of our children hunger for lives with order
and meaning. They are easy prey to anger and narrow-
mindedness, to violence, and to impulses that debase
their own lives and others. Too many, in their own
struggle to survive, cannot imagine a world that is
safe, secure and full of hope. We must do better than
this.

Happily, most of our children still face the world with
courage and hope. They want to grow up to be good
parents and good citizens. They want to have good
marriages, good friendships. They want to make the
world a better place.

They remain our greatest hope. Let us resolve to teach
them as Dr. King did, not so much by eloquent words as
by meaningful actions.

Let us lead them by example, as we respect all people,
draw strength from our diversity, and face our
challenges with determination and goodwill so that Dr.
Martin Luther King's dream of equality for our children
will never be lost.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim Monday, April 4, 1994, as a
``National Day of Reconciliation.'' On this day, let us
pause to reflect upon what our divisiveness, our
intolerance and our insecurity teach our children. Let
us remember and recognize that each of us bears the
profound responsibility of bringing Dr. King's message
of unity, compassion and equality to our schools and
our playgrounds, our places of work and worship, our
seats of governance, and into our homes and our hearts.
And when we are judged, not by the rich or powerful,
but by history and by our children, let it be said that
we overcame our differences for the sake of our
children. We shared a common dream for the future.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
third day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen
hundred and ninety-four, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and
eighteenth.

(Presidential Sig.)>