ATLANTA — Atlanta joined cities around the world today in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights leader whose dream was born on Auburn Avenue and echoed far beyond the city he called home.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
On what would have been King’s 97th birthday, hundreds gathered at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights for a community-focused Global Summit centered on service, unity, and the unfinished work of justice.
Dr. King’s son, Martin Luther King III, reflected on how the day balances celebration with responsibility.
“They sang ‘Happy Birthday,’ and then they got back to work,” King III said. “Because the work is not done.”
King III said the annual King holiday is meant to be more than a moment of remembrance; it’s a call to action. He highlighted a nationwide service initiative launched three years ago, aimed at reaching 100 million hours of service by 2029.
“The King holiday represents a time to come together and engage in service activity,” he said. “That’s why we launched this effort...to turn remembrance into impact.”
This year’s message, King III said, feels especially urgent as the nation continues to grapple with division, voting rights, and economic inequality.
“Yes, you can win a battle for a day, but you won’t win the war,” he said. “The war of bringing people together. Of building community...Dad would call it, and Mom would call it...What I would say is the beloved community.”
RELATED STORIES:
- Top things to do in and around Atlanta this week
- King Center kicks off Martin Luther King Day 40th anniversary events
Throughout the day, activists, students, and faith leaders took part in discussions on issues including voting rights, poverty, policing, and unity, all rooted in Dr. King’s philosophy of nonviolence and collective progress.
Kelisha Graves, Chief Research, Education & Programs Officer at The King Center, said challenges facing the nation should be viewed as opportunities for meaningful change.
“Certainly there are challenges,” Graves said, “but challenges just mean there’s room for opportunity to continue to make a difference.”
As Atlanta paused to remember its native son, the focus remained not only on how far the city and the world have come, but how much work still lies ahead.
“What Dad and Mom showed us,” King III said, “is it really takes a few good human beings to bring about change.”
Parades and events honoring Dr. King are scheduled throughout the weekend, leading up to the national King Day celebration on Monday.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to learn about the events happening on MLK Day.
©2026 Cox Media Group
