Dozens traveled to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta to gather and pay respects to the civil rights leader on Aug. 26, the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington.
In a special day of programming, the historic site featured 60-year-old footage of the event, including a viewing of the “I Have A Dream” speech shared by Dr. Martin Luther King at the 1963 march. Guests heard music from the era to engulf them in the scene. Attendees also heard first-hand accounts of those who participated in the civil rights movement, creating an intimate yet educational festivity to honor King’s legacy.
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Guests at the national park were allowed inside Ebenezer Baptist Church, where a park ranger led informative talks. Known as King’s church home, the establishment was also part of the civil rights movement’s deep history: it was the first place where King conducted a speech.
Many Atlanta activists spoke of King’s impact on their activism, which helped shape King’s native city. King was born there in 1929 and graduated from Morehouse College.
In an interview with radio station WABE, Andrew Young, the former mayor of Atlanta and the ambassador to the United Nations under President Jimmy Carter, spoke on how tranquil the march was, given the constant threat of danger that the nonviolent protesters faced.
“It turned out to be very peaceful,” the civil rights activist recalled. “The March on Washington really excited the hopes and dreams of everybody … that all men were born with certain inalienable rights; life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
All attendees left with a sense of empowerment and advocacy that King evoked in his memorable, stirring words, experiencing a magnitude first-hand that has reverberated for generations.
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