Utahns celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. with day of service

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SALT LAKE CITY -- Events around the country and in Utah Monday honored one of the country's most prominent civil rights leaders: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

![](http://media.bonnint.net/slc/1717/171795/17179564.jpg)Martin Luther king Jr. was a Baptist minister and civil right activist in the 1950s and '60s. He founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957 initially aimed at ending segregation, then led the March on Washington in 1963, where he delivered his famous "I have a dream" speech. King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at the age of 35, becoming the youngest recipient ever. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis Tennessee by James Earl Ray and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.

During an annual luncheon, the Salt Lake branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) presented scholarships to Utah college students Monday. Dr. John Jackson, president and CEO of The Schott Foundation for Public Education, spoke at the event.

NAACP Salt Lake Branch Jeanetta Williams says the struggle for equality isn't over.

"We have a lot of employment discrimination, and we have a lot of housing discrimination and other discrimination that we have to address as NAACP, as a civil rights organization," Williams said.

At the Utah Food Bank, 250 volunteers used the day to help pack up food drive donations and deliver food boxes to low-income seniors.

"We've opened up on this day to have it be an opportunity for people who want to volunteer and give back on this day, so they can help make an impact," said food bank CEO Jim Pugh.

Students from Westminster College marched down 1300 East to demonstrate how King's legacy inspires them.

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon and Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker launched the service project by encouraging Utahns to follow King's passion for service.

"Dr. Martin Luther King really optimized, in our society, change and service and making the world a better place for all of us today," Becker said.

Students from Westminster College marched down 1300 East to demonstrate how King's legacy inspires them.

"We have improved over the years to actually come together as a community," one student said. "I think this march will further improve that."

The students carried signs reading "Intelligence and Character is the Goal" as they marched to East High School, and then to the University of Utah Campus. There, they joined a rally at the U.'s President's Circle.

Meanwhile, more than 600 volunteers showed up at BYU's campus to help in dozens of service projects. The projects included everything from making quilts to building homes off-campus for Habitat for Humanity.

BYU's Center for Service and Learning says the volunteers are mostly students and families who want to reach out to all people in need in the Provo area.

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Story written by the ksl.com news team with contributions from Brian Martin.