In March 1965, a nonviolent protest about voting rights for African Americans turned tragic when police attacked demonstrators on what would come to be called “Bloody Sunday.” On March 9, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. asked faith leaders to join him for a second march in support of equal rights for black voters. A young Methodist pastor in Boston heard his call and soon found himself in the middle of history. Like so many, the Rev. Gil Caldwell can never forget that event 50 years ago. Click to view video

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. King sought equality and human rights for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest.

History Martin Luther King

Today, nearly half a century after Martin Luther King, Jr. led the historic March on Washington for equality, tens of thousands came to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Dedication. The memorial to Dr. King has been open since August, but the dedication was delayed due to Hurricane Irene. As President Obama said, though delayed, “this is a day that would not be denied.” Martin Luther King Memorial Dedication