Bells chimed 39 times around the United States at 6:01 p.m. to commemorate the death of Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Oktibbeha County NAACP President Chris Taylor stood in Memphis, Tennessee as the sound of the bells resonated around where King was killed.
“That man lost his life at 39. He was that powerful at 39,” Taylor said. “He was that powerful before then, and he always preached nonviolence.”
Taylor was 13 when King was assassinated. He said he remembered understanding what had happened, but the adults were explaining what needed to be done.
He said local African-American leaders called a meeting at a pool hall that night in Starkville, because they thought there would be riots around the country.
Instead of riots, Taylor said there were peaceful marches showing what African Americans wanted and how they wanted it.
“They started saying what are we going to do now?” Taylor said. “Like they say, you can kill the man, but you can’t kill the dream.”
In Memphis, nearly 10,000 people were reported attending the “I am a Man” march. The march represents the Memphis Sanitation Strike following years of poor wages and dangerous working conditions.
Taylor said he was honored to be in the front of the march, because it reminded him of when they did their first marching in Starkville.
“Back then, we marched because there were no black employees on Main Street,” Taylor said. “It just brought back memories that back then, it was only blacks fighting, but nowadays everyone is fighting.”
He said current examples of those fights include how workers and teachers around the nation are currently fighting for better pay. Specifically in Starkville, Taylor said one example is how the LGBT community had to fight for their own basic rights.
Taylor said everyone has their own opinions, faith and beliefs, but if the Supreme Court deems it legal, no one should be denied that right.
“We’re still fighting for equal rights and justice under the law,” Taylor said. “The key Marchers move through the streets of Memphis earlier this week to commemorate the thing about that is under the law.”
After attending the events in Memphis, Taylor said he wants to bring a piece of his inspiration to Oktibbeha County.
He said his plan is to send letters to all of the churches and pastors throughout the county to get 100 percent of their eligible voters, registered.
Taylor said in those letters, he wants the churches to guarantee it will provide transportation to the polls for the voters who need it.
“This year we are going to push here in Oktibbeha County,” Taylor said.