Ministerial Alliance Holds Ceremony, Cleans Up In Honor Of MLK

DENVER (CBS4) - Saturday marked the 47th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee.

The world has changed greatly since that day, but supporters say his message remains intact.

The Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance held a memorial ceremony to mark the date in City Park on Saturday. They shared messages about the state of civil rights in front of the King statue in the park and placed a new memorial wreath on the statue.

Ministerial Alliance President-Elect Del Phillips said their effort was being done to "make sure that we stay mindful of our fight for justice."

In addition, supporters took plastic garbage bags and cleaned up parks in the neighborhood.

Rev. Dr. Anne Rice-Jones told CBS4 they were "picking up trash as acknowledgement and symbolism of his last stand." Before King was killed he was in Tennessee to help support a sanitation workers' strike.

Phillips said King's actions "create a metaphor for us as we see opportunities to create change to provide service."

They also gave donations to the local homeless population.

As the Ministerial Alliance continues the work of King, supporters say great leaps and bounds have been made in civil rights, but that King's dream is a work in progress.

"We are grateful for how far we've come thus far, but we know there is yet much more work to still be done," Rice-Jones said.