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Residents Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day With Festivities In Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KFSM) — The life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. is being honored across Fayetteville Monday (Jan. 20). As many schools and businesses ...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KFSM) — The life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. is being honored across Fayetteville Monday (Jan. 20).

As many schools and businesses are closed, hundreds of people from Fayetteville came together to remember the dream of Dr. King.

"We want to show unity and show that we as Americans believe what Dr. King stood for and that's justice, peace and equality for all people," said John L. Colbert.

Colbert is the president of the Northwest Arkansas MLK Council and he said this is their 24th year to honor the day as a community.

"It shows how Northwest Arkansas as a community we come together and a lot of people believe what Dr. King stood for and making sure we share that dream," Colbert said.

The festivities kicked off with a MLK Dream Keepers breakfast where there were speakers and group activities to teach the vision of Dr. King.

After breakfast, kids then went to the U of A HPER building where they played basketball and hung out with Razorback athletes.

Many people then joined the kids for a Freedom March at the corner of MLK Boulevard and Razorback Road.

The morning events wrapped up with a noon-day vigil at the U of A Student Union where the group remembered the dream of Dr. King.

"It's important to realize how far we've come and yes, there's things we still have to get over and overcome but it's important we realize why we're here and how long it look to get here and I'm grateful for that," said Jadyn Fleming.

Fleming is the president of the youth group NWA Dream Keepers and said she loves seeing her community come together on this day.

"It's important we come together for everyone one of all ages and colors, backgrounds to come together for one common goal and that's to know why we're here and we're allowed to be together and really taking advantage of that because at one point we weren't allowed to," Fleming said.

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