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The community of Hogansville gathered as one Sunday night to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. 

“We are thankful for those keeping [his] legacy alive,” said keynote speaker George Bailey. “We have so much to be thankful for, for all the freedom that we possess. I suggest to all of us today, that we must rise to the occasion.” 

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Christian minister, activist and a major leader in the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.

“We must learn how to love everybody,” Bailey said. “All of us must come to realize that God has us as people to be forgiving. Dr. King said that we cannot begin the process of loving our enemies without accepting the process necessary to forgive wrongdoings.”  

During the celebration, the City of Hogansville honored three members of the community who have made a civic impact on the area. Dr. Charlene Brown, Oberien Geter and Ricky Thrash were each recognized and given awards for their outstanding leadership and community service to the city. 

Brown, a Hogansville graduate, said it was an exciting afternoon to come home for the special occasion. 

“We would not be here today if it wasn’t for Martin Luther King Jr.,” Brown said. “If it were not for a lot of people, not only in Montgomery and Atlanta, but right here in Hogansville paving the way so we could go forward to be a better America.”