Atlanta marching to mark 50 years since King's funeral services
ATLANTA - Nearly a thousand people gathered outside the Georgia state capitol near the statue for dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monday to Mark the 50th Anniversary since the Civil Rights leader was laid to rest.
The march began at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and continued to Liberty Plaza on the State Capitol grounds. Marchers began arriving at the Capitol around 1:30 p.m.
Like most events commemorating the legacy of Dr. King, the march for humanity included people from every generation and every walk of life. And everyone had their own special reason for participating.
"I'm here because doctor King's Legacy has touched me really throughout the course of my life. I took off from work and came here from Covington to be here today," Jim Haygood told FOX 5's Portia Bruner.
App users: Watch march live here
Niya Hicken, a black woman married to a white man, told Bruner she and her husband, Stuart, brought their five children to the march to give them a sense of pride and awareness of American history.
"I feel like it is important for our children to know their history and where they came from so they can be better prepared for their future, especially since they are biracial. My husband and I felt like this would help our children understand what Dr. King fought for and what it means to be tolerant and unified," Niya Hicken, Atlanta.
"I'm hoping the young people who are here to witness and be a part of all of this will be able to mimic the lessons my generation learns from Dr. King and understand that we should be working together to improve our country and be focused on helpful things, not harmful things," said Bobby Howard, who was 4 years old when dr. King was assassinated in 1968.
Reverend Al Sharpton of the National Action Network challenged participants to harness the spirit and the momentum of the day and find a way to finish the work Dr. King was dedicated to at the time of his assassination.
"Dr. King wasn't just walking around dreaming all day. He was dreaming while he was fighting for voting rights. He was dreaming when he was helping to feed the Homeless. He was dreaming when he was fighting for garbage workers. You can't just dream, you have to wake up and do something," said Sharpton.
Funeral services for King were held in Atlanta on April 9, 1968, after the civil rights leader was killed in Memphis on April 4, 1968.
The Associated Press contributed to this article