Two events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr will be held in Little Rock Wednesday.
Governor Asa Hutchinson plans to make comments at the Capitol at 10 a.m. At 5 p.m., a candlelight vigil is being hosted at the Little Rock Central High National Historic Site. According to David Kilton, with the National Park Service, the milestone anniversary has helped bolster attendance, which had already been on the rise in recent months.
“I can say within the civil rights sites there has been increased interest and tourism in that genre of exploring history and touching those locations,” Kilton said.
Prominent civil rights activist, Dr. Bob Zellner, is scheduled to speak at the Central High vigil.
Kilton said, “Dr. Zellner was actually able to work with Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks both. and so his insights and his feelings about the legacy of Dr. King, I think, along with the candlelight vigil, and some of the other things that will be going will help us touch that legacy that is very relevant to our lives today.”
The vigil will also include a reading of the last speech given by Dr. King before his assassination. Both events are free and open to the public.
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