Today we honor and celebrate the life and legacy of a true American hero. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to fighting for justice and equality – ideals that we must never stop pursuing.

Rocky Mount was fortunate to have him visit our city. In 1962, King gave a speech in the gymnasium at Booker T. Washington High School that some say helped form the foundation for his “I Have a Dream” speech.

King’s words and actions have inspired generations of people. Although we’ve come a long way since the days of slavery and segregation, we still have a long ways to go.

Some people still see the world in black and white and judge others based on the color of their skin.

King fought relentlessly for what was right, even in the face of great adversity. He was courageous, even when people around him were too ignorant and hateful to recognize the truth.

King never gave up, and we must do the same.

We must continue to push for equality and compassion. When doing so, we must always remember our past.

As long as we do that, King’s legacy lives on.

And as we continue his crusade, we can continue to take lessons from King.

He believed in combating hate with love.

That’s something the world can always use more of.