NEWS

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The legacies of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — most prominently his work for racial equality and his use of nonviolent means to effect change — are seen worldwide. Less known, however, is his brief ministry in Augusta and his direct impact on the CSRA.

To mark the anniversary of King’s April 1962 visit, “Augusta: 60 Years Since Dr. King,” will explore King’s impacts here in our own community, featuring local leaders and figures of the Civil Rights Movement. The panel discussion will take place April 2 at noon at the Tabernacle Baptist Church Family Life Center (1230 Laney-Walker Blvd.) in Augusta.

The event is organized by the Rev. Dr. Lerone Wilder, assistant professor of religion at Newberry College and pastor of Mattoon Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina.

“This discussion will allow Augusta and the CSRA to reflect on the Civil Rights Movement’s impact on the community since Dr. King’s first visit here,” said Wilder.

The event will be moderated by Minister Priscilla Gary, radio personality, entrepreneur, speaker and educator in Augusta. The panel will also include the Rev. Larry Fryer, founder of the CSRA King Memorial Celebration; Corey Rogers, historian at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History; and Augusta City Commissioner Jordan Johnson.

King spoke at Tabernacle Baptist on April 3, 1962, and he visited the city again shortly before his assassination in 1968.

“Mother Lillie Hamilton’s memories of her husband, the late Rev. Dr. C.S. Hamilton, bringing Dr. King to Augusta have been instrumental in helping make this event happen," said Wilder. “There are deacons at the church who went with Dr. King on the March on Washington. This has also been a wonderful opportunity to speak with people who have seen this history with their own eyes.”