Local leaders speak on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

JACKSON, Tenn. –A dream that still lives on. Monday, leaders with the Jackson-Madison County Branch of the NAACP ended the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations with a Unity Service at Englewood Baptist Church.

Members of the community listened to the civil rights leader’s speech, and also to leaders in the Hub City for their remarks on Dr. King’s life and legacy.

“He really cared about everybody, not just his own people,” said Dean of the School of Social Work at Union University Mary Ann Poe, who was invited to speak.

“There were many, many things I could have said. The main aspects of his legacy that I think inspire me are, the idea that he gave hope,” Poe said.

Others, such as Lane College’s President Dr. Logan Hampton, Jackson Mayor Scott Conger, and NAACP President Harrell Carter also gave remarks.

The audience accepted the offer to ask the panel of local leaders questions on a range of topics, one of which was race.

“We’re not segregated in the same way we were in my childhood. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still so much work that needs to be done around racial justice,” Poe said.

Poe said having more open discussions will help to bring the community together.

“The more people are engaged in it, the better off we will be,” Poe said.

This is the second year the local NAACP branch has hosted this panel discussion for MLK Day. Leaders say they hope to keep it going.