HOUSTON – The University of Houston remembered Martin Luther King Jr.'s life by hosting a special program Wednesday.
The ceremony was held at the UH A.D. Bruce Religion Center. It started at 5:45 p.m.
The Rev. William A. Lawson, the founding pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston's Third Ward and a community activist, talked about the civil rights movement and reflected on his friendship with King.
Lawson helped build the first Afro-American Studies Program at UH and taught classes in sociology and the black church.
"Pausing to recognize the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination is paramount to our understanding of the civil rights movement and it demands a significant commemoration," said Antonio D. Tillis, dean of the UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. "More importantly, to have Rev. Lawson share his personal journey with Dr. King helps preserve this rich legacy."
There was a moment of silence at 6:05 p.m. to observe the time of King's shooting, which took place on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. There was also be a replica of the door where he stood, which was donated by Houston Habitat For Humanity.