BERKELEY, Mo. – Voices were lifted Monday at Berkeley City Hall for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Day of Service in celebration of the civil rights leader’s life and enduring legacy.
“We have to keep his legacy and message moving forward into the next generation and the next future,” Berkeley Chief of Police Art Jackson said. “Things like today’s program is just a testament to him and what he meant to the people of the United States.”
Berkeley Councilman Theodore Hoskins, Ward 3, served as emcee for the gathering inside Berkeley City Hall in front of a responsive, packed crowd that overflowed into the hallways.
“King was responsible for the voting rights act,” Hoskins said. “The Voting Rights Act increased participation and allowed a number of residents to voice their opinions of the candidates of their choice and that was significant.”
Through steps and songs, the celebration served as a day to honor the slain civil rights leader, the group working to continue his important efforts in the civil rights movement.
“Important for me, because King was the leader of my youth,” Hoskins said. “He motivated us to give attention to the things in our community to succeed.”