DETROIT (WXYZ) — Saturday marks the 60th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's iconic "I Have A Dream" speech, which was first done in the city of Detroit.
Every decade, the speech and Detroit Freedom Walk are celebrated in Detroit but this year, the celebration will play out over four days, and it's being led by the Detroit chapter of the NAACP.
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The NAACP Detroit chapter is led by Detroit's own firebrand preacher and civil rights activist, Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, whose church, Fellowship Chapel rose from ashes and blight.
"Where my pulpit sits used to sit a dope house, Now, it's a hope house, and we're building houses in the rear," Anthony told 7 Action News
It was designed in the colors and motifs from African houses of worship and is the focal point of planning for the 60th anniversary of the Detroit Freedom Walk.
"I think it's even more important to celebrate him now because a lot of people, unfortunately, are turning his dream into a nightmare. We cannot allow that to happen," Anthony said.
Anthony was only 13 years old when King brought his fire and passion to the streets of Detroit.
It was a test run, led by Aretha Franklin's father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, and Walter Reuther, the president of the United Auto Workers. They formed the Detroit Coalition of Human Rights.
"He talked about wanting people to come together, jobs, justice and freedom," Anthony said.
Ironically, in 1963, the NAACP was not on board with King calling for a march in the Motor City.
"They felt that Dr. King was too militant, that they did not know him, his emphasis in the south not in the north," Anthony said.
When Anthony took over the helm of the Detroit branch of the NAACP, he said the first thing he wanted to do was commemorate the march and the speech.
In 1993, 250,000 people converged on Detroit for the 30th anniversary.
King's world-renowned speech has been played, read and recited by millions around the world, but it was the words King intended to deliver to the masses in Washington D.C.
"Mahalia Jackson, whom he loved, was sitting on the stage and she started saying, 'Martin, tell them about the dream, Martin. Martin, tell me about your dream,'" Anthony said. "He closed his text and he started talking about the dream. 'I have a dream,' and when he went through that, all heaven broke loose. It was Mahalia Jackson that inspired him to let go."
Now six decades later, the commemoration of the Detroit "I Have A Dream" speech will play out over four days, including the unveiling of a statue of King in Hart Plaza, a march on Saturday and a rally and the NAACP Detroit Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner at Huntington Place on Saturday, with guest speaker Sen. Raphael Warnock.
