The Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida hosted the sixth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast at the Paramount Hotel in Gainesville Thursday morning.
The breakfast ceremony commemorated the 45th anniversary of the assassination of King, who was shot on April 4, 1968.
MLK Commission President Rodney Long said they wanted to celebrate King's life, but also honor the way he gave his life for the causes in which he believed.
Sharon Burnie, a choir member at the event, said this was an opportunity to identify that race is still an issue for many people in America, but that staying informed can help.
“As you continue to educate people and point out their weaknesses along with their strengths, then we can also start to bridge the gap so that we can have true equality,” Burnie said.
During the event, two local residents received awards for making changes in the community. The Drum Major for Justice Award was presented to George B. Dix, senior pastor at Passage Family Church in Gainesville. The scholarship award was given to Freddy Holmes Jr.
The event was sponsored by the African American Accountability Alliance of Alachua County, the MLK Jr. Commission of Florida and the Alachua County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The MLK Commission plans to have this event every year in honor of King's life and to recognize people that are making non-violent changes in the community.
Rebekah Geier edited this story online.