Martin Luther King III speaks in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The son of Martin Luther King Jr. is in Omaha, honoring the past and celebrating the future.

Martin Luther King III spoke to a crowd at the Omaha Hilton. “We have to learn to work with one another,” he said.

King evoked the legacy of his father, leader of the civil rights movement in America.

King said, “My dad talked about making America the nation it ought to be for all of our residents. That’s what we got to do and guess what? We can.”

This is the first time since the 1960′s that a relative of MLK Jr. has stepped foot in Omaha, where he stressed the importance of building community and decency.

King said, “We used to have a civil arena for politics. It did not mean that we were going to agree on every issue, but it did mean that we were going to conduct ourselves in a civil way.”

King arrived in Omaha after spending the week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

King said, “I saw a lot of people who were very excited. That kind of energy I have not seen in a long time.”

King believes this is a critical time in our nation and that democracy is on the line.

King says the most important thing anyone can do is vote.

King said, “One thing I will say is my dad always said is, a voteless people is a powerless people. And one of the most important steps we can take is that short step to the ballot box.”

Martin Luther King III is speaking Friday, August 23rd, 2024, at 7p.m. at the Joy of Life Church of God in Christ.

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