Jackson State University honors life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

The event was held in the historic M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge on JSU's campus Friday.

Robert Luckett is the Director of the Margaret Walker Center and a professor of history at JSU. He says the civil rights movement and King's legacy are ingrained in Mississippi's history.

"There is no state in the nation that has a more important role in guaranteeing the democracy of this nation," he said. "and as a historian, I believe it's essential that we know that past."

In addition to the convocation, JSU honored 4 recipients of the "For My People" awards. The awards, given by the Margaret Walker Center and named after a poem by Walker, honor those that have contributed to the preservation of African American history and culture. One of the winners, archivist Angela Stewart, says these awards honor acts of service, which King often preached about.

"It gave courage," she said. "You know, Dr. King from the time he came onto the scene... was about moving the community forward."

King's actual birthday is January 15th.