DeKalb County

Hundreds attend Decatur service honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr.

County officials honored the life and legacy of Dr. King at the Maloof Auditorium in Decatur Friday.

The theme for 2018 is “MLK 50 Forward – Together We Win With Love For Humanity.”

Channel 2's Sophia Choi served as the emcee.

The DeKalb County Choir performed at the event. Judge Penny Brown Reynolds was the special guest speaker, and there was a panel conversation about cultural diversity.

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Attendees told Channel 2's Audrey Washington that it's always important to hold these events to honor the legacy of King, especially on the 50th anniversary of his death.

“I think it's just a wonderful opportunity to learn more about his legacy and how it's still going on,” said attendee Mike Holloway.

“I think cultural diversity is important in DeKalb, and in terms of our young people and the way the colleges are, they're diverse, all different kinds of ethnic backgrounds, and that's the way the world is now,” said resident Sylvia Smith.

Special guest speaker, Judge Penny Brown Reynolds spoke of King’s legacy and brought everyone inside the auditorium back to April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

“He came out and it was about 55 degrees and you know how the weather had cleared and you know how it feels after a storm had passed,” Reynolds said.

Monday, the nation will celebrate Dr. King, but resident Mike Holloway says it’s not just important to honor King’s work, but also the sacrifice the preacher from Atlanta made 50 years ago.

“Well first of all, I wouldn’t be free doing what I can do,” Holloway said.

It was a message that Reynolds brought home, when she ended her speech with Dr. King’s final speech.

““I’ve seen the promise land, I may not get there with you, but I want you to know that we as a people will get to the promise land. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,” Reynolds said.