In the final week of Black History Month the living image of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. himself will appear in Oak Harbor.

Friday he will walk into the city’s two middle schools, complete with law enforcement escort, and offer forth his “I Have a Dream” speech that he forever changed the world with in 1963. Sunday the community is invited to witness the resurrection themselves.

While the visit will actually be from a man who is more the spitting image of than any direct descendent or the real thing, don’t think the message offered (or the way it is offered) will be anything but the real deal.

Chief Steve Almon and the rest of the Oak Harbor Police Department are pleased to welcome David Webb, a 23-year law enforcement veteran and current chief of police for the city of Spencer, Okla.

Chief Webb assisted in the development of a protocol for a cohesive approach on child welfare issues while a member of the Logan County (Okla.) Child Advocacy Team. He serves as president of “Positive Parents” a mentoring program associated with the Mary Mahoney Clinic of Oklahoma. Webb is also the current leader of the Men’s Ministry at the Church of Berea.

Chief Webb has received numerous accolades for his re-enactment of several of Dr. King’s famous speeches at various schools and churches. The activity, done in his spare time, “exemplifies his desire to make a positive impact on our youth,” according to Almon.

Almon first had the opportunity to witness Webb perform at a local school while he was in law enforcement for the city of Guthrie in 1996, nearby Webb’s police beat in the city of Langston, Okla.

The Oak Harbor chief hopes the stage can be set for an insight into the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the events that led up to King’s famous 1963 speech in our nation’s capital.

“At that time racial tensions were extremely high in our country, and people were fighting for what has become the basic rights for every man,” Almon said.

Webb will make his presentations to North Whidbey Middle School and Oak Harbor Middle School Friday. While acting as Dr. King, he will be escorted to the podium by deputies with the Island County Sheriff’s Office, much the same way King was often surrounded by law enforcement at his speeches.

“A lot of people were resistant to the message he brought, and hopefully we can give them a taste of the precautions he had to take because of the danger he was always in,” Almon said.

While people often think of King as a great leader of the black community, Almon says King was a great representative for all communities.

“He has such great lessons and teaches that we are all truly of the same race,” Almon said.

Oak Harbor Mayor Patty Cohen is a strong supporter of bringing Webb to Oak Harbor, as well as other black history and cultural awareness events.

“As a resident of Oak Harbor, I would want to know that our community is trying to make an effort to teach the right lessons to our kids,” said Cohen of a message she hopes excites people and leaves them asking questions that will continue the education process.

Going along with King’s belief that the issue of black rights are truly about everyone’s rights, Cohen believes that Oak Harbor is privileged to have a range of cultures, but needs to expand its horizons.

“Culturally we’re a very rich community, however, we often tend to live, work and play within our own cultures, and this is another way we can expand upon our diversity education and embrace other cultures,” Cohen said. “If we don’t all embrace it we’ll all lose out — whether we’re black, Filipino or whatever.”

Almon echoed this idea, saying, “Dr. King’s message wasn’t so much about black and white as it was about right and wrong, and so often I think that gets lost.”

The public is invited to witness Webb’s re-enactment at 3 p.m., Sunday March 2, at the Southern Baptist Church in Oak Harbor. Rousing gospel music will be offered up by singers from New Life, House of Prayer, Mission Outreach, as well featured soloists from various other churches. African dancing will delve rhythmically into Black History Month’s roots.

Oak Harbor High School students show the life lessons they’ve learned through essays they’ve written. All of this will culminate with Webb’s “I Have a Dream” re-enactment.

The Southern Baptist Church is located at 50 SW 6th Ave., Oak Harbor, for information call the church office at 675-6686.

You can reach Whidbey News-Times contributing writer Cynthia Woolbright at cwoolbright@whidbeynewstimes.com or call 675-6611.