Lexington events honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Thousands are expected to visit downtown Lexington on Monday, to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

For some, the reserved holiday is a time to pause and reflect on King’s message.

In August of 1963, King organized the march on Washington for jobs and freedom, where he delivered his famed ‘I have a dream’ speech. There, he shared his vision of a ‘truly free and just society,’ with hundreds of thousands of Americans gathered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was signed into law, and became a federal holiday in 1983.

Monday, Lexington hosted a series of events in his honor. First on the day’s agenda was the ‘Unity Breakfast’ at Heritage Hall, that began at 6:30 a.m.

The breakfast was followed by the annual Freedom March, at 10 a.m.

Crowds heard from keynote speaker, actor, and civil rights activist Danny Glover at 11 a.m at the Lexington Center.

Entertainment was provided by Miss Kentucky Clark J. Davis and University of Kentucky Opera Theatre Associate Professor, Cliff Jackson.

The celebration continued with a free showing of the movie, “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” at the Kentucky Theater.