On Monday, we will pause nationwide to honor one of America’s most influential leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I suppose that one advantage of being older is that I have a deep appreciation for the significance of this holiday that dates back to August 1963, when I watched the televised broadcast of Dr. King delivering his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. He rightly predicted that 1963 was not an end, but a beginning, and I have borne witness to the immense progress our country has made since that day toward the realization of Dr. King’s dream. Martin Luther King is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the impact that a single voice can have on the future. His legacy deserves celebration—America is better for it.

Still, the fight is far from over. Equal rights in America continues to be a work in progress, and we must not be tempted to settle for the status quo. To use the words of Dr. King, we cannot and will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. Only then will freedom truly ring.