Five Lithonia natives who witnessed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech in Washington 50 years will recall that day on Sunday at First St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Lithonia.
LaVerne Woods Baker, Olitha McGuire Reid, Roselind Shepherd Veal, Patricia Shepherd and Albert Smith were youngsters when they accompanied others to Washington in late summer 1963 to hear King make his speech. They raised money with the help of their families and churches to join others from across the nation that day.
At 3 p.m. Sunday, they'll share memories of Aug. 28, 1963, when King's words electrified a nation. With them will be Barbara Cross, who was at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., 50 years ago when church was bombed, killing four girls.
The free program, sponsored by the Historical Preservation Society of Lithonia, is in observation of Black History Month.
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