On the 51st anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful “I Have A Dream” speech, Tim Cook has tweeted to celebrate the life of the African-American civil rights leader and activist.
Describing King’s stirring words, delivered in 1963 from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., as “the speech of my lifetime,” Cook notes that “we must recommit to achieving his vision.”
Dr. Martin Luther King delivered the speech of my lifetime 51 yrs ago today.We must recommit to achieving his vision. pic.twitter.com/5BVStOF1a4
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 29, 2014
This is far from the first time Cook has publicly voiced his admiration for King. While accepting a lifetime achievement award from his alma mater Auburn University last year, Cook spoke about how King was one of the figures who shaped his passion for human rights and equality.
While Cook isn’t clear about whether the “we” in his tweet refers to Apple or the population at large (“What does recommitting to his vision mean in practical terms for a huge multinational?” asks one Twitter user in response), Cook has been an advocate for workplace equality at Apple, penning a Wall Street Journal op-ed in support of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act and arguing that he wants Apple to be a “force for good” in the world.
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
