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Detroiters carry on the dream to honor Martin Luther King Jr.

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Published  January 20, 2020 5:11pm EST
Detroit
FOX 2 Detroit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be 91 today. While the murdered civil rights leader was not able to see his dream fulfilled, people across the country are honoring his legacy of peace and social justice, including in Detroit.

"I have a dream that one day, this nation will rise up, live up the true meaning of its creed."

Protesting in Detroit to honor memory of Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King's dream is still alive on what would have been his 91st birthday as people marched through the streets of Detroit.

Martin Luther King's famous speech from the steps of the Washington Monument will live on forever in American history. His dream is still very much alive on what would have been his 91st birthday as people marched through the streets of Detroit.

"We're making progress as far as it goes with Dr. Martin Luther King's dream," David Sole. 

"We are out here supporting all the things that Dr. King fought for: an end to poverty, an end to racism, an end to war," said organizer David Sole.

"Look at what he did. He brought us together, he did it peacefully. He wanted everybody to have his dreams, he wanted everybody to unite as one and look what happened," Chantell W said.

A diverse and dedicated crowd filled St Matthew's & St Joseph's Episcopal Church to standing-room-only. The historic church was once a stop along the underground railroad and is still a site of social justice where speakers discussed the very real issues of racism and poverty, the treatment of immigrants, and the threat of war.

"We have to love each other - we have to love our oppressor - we have to love," Theo Spencer with Sunrise Movement Detroit said.

From young to old, on MLK Day, there is love and hope and the commitment to carry out his dream.

"I think it's just critical, all the time, everyday and especially right now that we show our young ones what it means to be compassionate and follow in Dr. King's footsteps and his leadership," said mom Libby Jones, who was out with her children.

"I've always done research projects when I was younger on MLK. Now (I'm) getting older, my dad did rallies when he was younger, now it's - I gotta do something fun out there," Ron Askew said.