MLK breakfast in Minneapolis offers a theme to live by

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - The annual Martin Luther King holiday breakfast at the Minneapolis Convention Center is an opportunity to celebrate Dr. King's legacy of service and inspire people to live out his dream. The theme of this year's event is based on Dr. King's words: "The time is always right to do what is right."

The history of MLK Day

Martin Luther King Day commemorates the birthday of the late civil rights leader who helped African Americans push for equal rights in the 1960s. Dr. King was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize before he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968. Martin Luther King Day became a federal holiday in 1986, and was later designated as a National Day of Service. Many people will spend the day volunteering in their communities.

Keynote speech from Medgar Evers’ widow

The keynote speaker Monday morning was Myrlie Evers-Williams, a civil rights activist, author and the widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers. In June 1963, Medgar Evers was shot to death in front of his home in Jackson, Mississippi, by white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith. Two all-white juries could not reach a verdict in the case. Evers-Williams fought to keep the case open for nearly 30 years, leading to a murder conviction for De La Beckwith in 1994.

Scholarships for Minnesota students

For the first time, the breakfast will also serve as a fundraiser for the local chapter of the United Negro College Fund and will help provide four-year scholarships for deserving low-income Minnesota students.

Gov. Mark Dayton and other political leaders were among those in attendance at the breakfast.