Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. remembered on 55th anniversary of his death

The 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s death was remembered with several events around the city of Atlanta on Tuesday. The civil rights leader was shot and killed on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. in 1968.

Members of King’s immediate family placed a wreath on the crypt that the assassinated civil rights leader shares with his wife Coretta Scott King at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change located at 449 Auburn Ave. Visitors from all over the world in remembrance of the civil rights leaders.

Bernice King, the CEO of the King Center and King’s daughter, was joined by others in a virtual discussion, along with MSNBC’s Joy Reid and Russ Wigginton, president of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, on “MLK55: Transforming Unjust Economic Systems.”

Said King. “My father spent the latter part of his life addressing economic inequities within the African American community. Fifty-five years after his death, we are still dealing with many of the same issues that have stifled our economic growth and left what seems like an insurmountable wealth disparity, for the Black community, when compared to other ethnic groups.” The conversation was streamed on The King Center and National Civil Rights Museum’s social media platforms.

The National Park Service at Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park also hosted a series of events marking King’s passing.  Superintendent Judy Forte encouraged visitors to “reflect upon Dr. King’s home environment, his family values and the neighborhood where he was born, grew up, worked, worshiped and is buried.”

Dr. King remains widely regarded as one of the greatest nonviolent leaders in history.