A Lasting Message

By Chris Hudler

When I walked into The King Center and heard an audio recording of one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches, I was immediately struck by the strength in his voice. He sounded like a man who believed in what he was speaking of with his whole heart. Looking at some of the exhibits upstairs, we got a small glimpse into the personal side of Dr. King. There were displays with suits he had worn, his old and worn Bible, and other collections of his belongings.

There was also a display about Gandhi, whose philosophies on non-violent protest had an immense effect on Dr. King while he was in college. Seeing our second Nobel Peace Prize of the day was also awe-inspiring. To get to learn so much about two individuals, Dr. King and President Jimmy Carter, in one day was truly an awesome opportunity.

Unfortunately, we did not get to meet with anyone from The King Center to discuss public relations and the site at Ebenezer Baptist Church where Dr. King was pastor was closed for renovations. However, I believe they would engage in many of the same activities in order to attract attention to their organization. Overall, our trip to The King Center was very informative, despite the small amount of time we were able to spend there.