DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Thousands of people gathered at the Henry Ford Museum on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to celebrate the civil rights leader's life and legacy through musical performances, speech reenactments, and a wide range of activities.
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The museum also unveiled a new piece of civil rights history for the first time — the chair that Dr. King sat in while watching President Lyndon B. Johnson deliver his 1965 "We Shall Overcome" speech, which led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
"What that says to me is history matters, history is important, and families feel comfortable here, The Henry Ford to come and learn and study together," said Cynthia Jones, Director of Museum Experiences at The Henry Ford.
On Monday, many visitors recognized the holiday as a "day on," not a "day off."
"I grew up with parents that were very avid about history, and I've always been learning about history, which I probably why I teach him more than he's ready for," said Renee Jacob of Hazel Park.
Melinda Harrison of Ypsilanti brought her daughter to the museum, saying it was important to find a location to honor Dr. King.
"I have to train up the young generation. You need to know your past to know how to move forward... You need to know all of this, it's knowledge, so you know how to maneuver in life," said Harrison.
The museum offered a variety of free events, including musical performances and a reenactment of King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
The historic chair represents a pivotal moment when King listened to Johnson's speech introducing the Voting Rights Act to Congress. This came after a series of marches between Selma and Montgomery, where there had been significant violence against the marchers and pushback against the African American community's efforts to secure voting rights.
Cynthia Jones said the chair belonged to Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson who opened their home to King and where civil rights leaders would gather to plan peaceful protests.
The museum is not only preserving the chair but also The Jackson Home, moving it nearly 1,000 miles from Selma, Alabama to Dearborn, Michigan. The home is set to open in June at Greenfield Village.
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Visitors said seeing the chair and what it represents was powerful.
"It's very special, I'm so glad that that piece is here. It humanizes him a little bit more; it's really great to see," said Britney McGee of Redford.
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