Monday, January 18, 2016
Monday was freezing but I had important work to do. Early in the morning I braved the cold and headed into Atlanta for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church. The parking lot filled up quickly and early as people gathered for the service. For the next five hours, Dr. King’s sister Dr. Christine King Farris and his daughter Dr. Bernice King led worshipers and community leaders through the service honoring the civil rights leader, who would have been 86 years old this year.
Senator Johnny Isakson, Congressman Sanford Bishop, Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro and many more spoke in honor of Dr. King. There were performances and singing and a very rousing sermon by Dr. William Barber II.
Beverly James (left) and her daughter Brianna Ellis James wait for the start of the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Gail Hollin (right) and Anita Johnson wait for the start of the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Rebecca Barber (right) waits for the start of the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Naomi King (right) hugs Lawrence Carter before the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Christine King Farris speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Bernice King speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Bernice King (center) speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Bernice King (center) speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Bernice King speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
January 18, 2016 Atlanta – Dr. Bernice King (center) speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
G.A. Breedlove (left) waves an American flag as Dr. Bernice King speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Judge Penny Reynolds speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Rabbi Mario Karpuj reads a scripture from the Old Testament during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Minister Jennifer Barnes reads a scripture from the New Testament during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Imam Plemon T. El-Amin reads from the Quran during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Christine King Farris (at podium) speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Rev. Raphael Gamaliel Warnock speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Julian Castro (left), the United States Secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, speaks to Rev. Raphael Gamaliel Warnock during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Sen. Johnny Isakson speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Sen. Johnny Isakson speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Congressman Sanford Bishop speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Georgia Lt. Governor Casey Cagle (right) speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis, the United States Charge d’Affairs to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Julian Castro, the United States Secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Heavenly Joy Jerkins (right) performs “Who Would Imagine a King” during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Ceasar C. Mitchell, president of the Atlanta City Council, speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Farris Christine Watkins (bottom right at microphone), the great niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., gives a performance of his speech at the Chicago Freedom Movement Rally with students from Atlanta area high schools and colleges during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Zarinah Mustafa (left) gives a performance of Dr. King’s speech at the Chicago Freedom Movement Rally with students from Atlanta area high schools and colleges during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016. The five hour service featured numerous speakers and performances all in memory of Dr. King. JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL
Anthony Brown (left) performs “Worth” during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Mary Lou Finley, a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement’s Chicago campaign from 1966, speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Jose Calderon, president of the Hispanic Federation, speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Goldie Taylor (right) speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Pastor Eugene Cho (left) speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Bernice King speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Brianna Smith (right) gives a speech on Coretta Scott King during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Bernice King (right) hugs Goldie Taylor after addressing the crowd during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Charles Cook (center) holds hands with his wife Diane (left) during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Christine King Farris visits with well wishers after the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Jacqueline Lott Jackson (left) holds hands with Rev. Francis Johnson as he holds hands with J.D. Myatt while they listen to a rendition of “We Shall Overcome” during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. Christine King Farris speaks during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. William Barber II (center) finishes his speech by gathering Dr. Bernice King (right), Rev. Raphael Gamaliel Warnock, Pastor Eugene Cho and more with him at the podium during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Jadan Jackson (second left) sits next to Brittany Anderson as he looks in a bible while following along with Dr. William Barber II as he quotes a passage during his speech during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Dr. William Barber II gives the keynote speech during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.
Diane Cook (center) holds hands with the person next to her during the 48th Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, January 18, 2016.