Mix of emotions across the country this Martin Luther King Jr. Day

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — This year marks 35 years since Martin Luther King Jr. Day became an official holiday. With so much turmoil around the county, many people are turning to the words of Doctor King for hope.

But more than half a century after King gave his famous ‘I Have A Dream’ speech in Washington D.C., many are also finding it difficult to celebrate this year due to recent events in our Nation’s capital.

People around the Cape Fear acknowledge the progress that has been made over the years. But many point out we still have a long way to go to realize King’s dream.

“You can’t make a person love you, no matter how good you are,” Reverend Kojo Nantambu said. “And he might have had a dream, but as you see, every can see now, his dream has turned into a nightmare.”

Reverend Kojo Nantambu says he hopes to see change continue in the years ahead.