Harrisburg, Saline County celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

HARRISBURG - Members of Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a breakfast and speaking event Monday at the Harris-Pruett Building in Harrisburg.

The annual event, their 17th celebration of King, recognized the civil rights leader's contributions toward racial equality in the U.S.

Pastor Brad Vinyard was the guest speaker for the event. Harrisburg Mayor John McPeek spoke earlier in the day, signing a proclamation honoring the day in Harrisburg.

Other church members also gave their thoughts on progress toward racial equality.

Mary Day of Carrier Mills said she believes statements King made in his "I Have a Dream" speech came from an actual God-given dream or vision.

"When he talked about children walking hand in hand, regardless of the color of their skin, he was dreaming, and God was giving him that dream," Day said.

She also said King led by example.

"When people were criticizing him, when they were attacking him, he didn't get mad," Day said. "He may have been mad on the inside, but he didn't show it on the outside. He stayed calm."

Marion Riley, a deacon at Mt. Pleasant, said King's legacy is bringing people together despite differences to achieve a common good.

"That was his gift. He was able to unite people for the good of all mankind, and that gift is what continues to help bring people together today," Riley said.