(above) WGNS Action Line broadcast on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (1/19/2026) featured Murfreesboro NAACP President David Settle along with 21-year MLK March Coordinator Shawn Brown. They shared their feelings and commitment to the community with broadcast host Scott Walker. 

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Community members from across Rutherford County gathered Monday at noon to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during Murfreesboro’s annual MLK Day March, an event that has become a longstanding tradition in the city.

The march began at Central Magnet School and proceeded through the city to Patterson Park Community Center, drawing participants of all ages who walked together in remembrance and reflection.

This year’s event marked the 21st annual Martin Luther King Jr. March in Murfreesboro, highlighting more than two decades of community commitment to Dr. King’s principles of equality, justice, and nonviolent social change. Families, students, civic leaders, faith-based groups, and local residents joined the procession, many carrying signs or wearing apparel bearing messages of unity and service.

Organizers emphasized that the march is not only a commemoration of Dr. King’s work, but also a call to continued action within the community. The route symbolically connected education and civic engagement, reinforcing the importance of youth involvement and public spaces in advancing dialogue and understanding.

This years march traveled down a portion of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, a roadway that received a name change that officially took place on October 13, 2021. The Murfreesboro Planning Commission voted to rename Mercury Boulevard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on May 18, 2021.

The annual march is a central part of Murfreesboro’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day observances and continues to serve as a visible reminder of the city’s ongoing efforts to promote inclusion, respect, and shared responsibility for the future.

Hear the full MLK Speech "I Have a Dream" Speech: Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered on August 28th, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C...

Documents related to the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., including FBI files detailing surveillance activities and investigations into James Earl Ray, were declassified and released by the U.S. government in July 2025 following an executive order aimed at increased transparency. However, some sensitive materials, including wiretap audio recordings, remain sealed until at least 2027. The release has sparked mixed reactions from members of King’s family and from historians...

That was Presidential Historian Douglas Brinkley. Again, while many of the documents tied to the 1968 investigation have now been made public, it appears that a portion of the related materials will remain sealed until at least 2027.

The historian went on to state...

Stacy Lyn with CBS News reported that today, January 19, 2026, is a time for Americans from all backgrounds to come together and memorialize Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a National Day of Service...

Again, because America is a melting pot of families and individuals from around the world, it remains important to continue conversations surrounding Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Over the years, America has grown by the millions, with many new citizens coming from regions where school lessons focused primarily on individuals who made significant impacts in their home countries. This reality increases the importance of teaching American history, not only in schools, but within the communities in which we live. These communities include new citizens who may not yet fully grasp the depth of American history or the social changes the nation has experienced—changes some Americans witnessed firsthand as they unfolded.

Today’s remembrance of King is, as mentioned, designated as a National Day of Service, honoring the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. while encouraging Americans nationwide to volunteer and give back to their communities.

Also taking place on this date, a historic chair tied to the voting rights movement is set to be unveiled at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan... See photo of the chair by scrolling down. 

Meanwhile, depictions of King making statements at some of the most well-known locations where he delivered speeches in the 1960s are being banned on social media platforms. These are not videos of King delivering his actual speeches, but rather AI-altered and edited content. Critics say the videos mock King’s message instead of honoring his mission. CBS correspondent Michael Wallace noted…

March Cooordinator has devoted 21-Years

Shawn Brown has put his heart into the Murfreesboro Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. March now for 21-years. In addition to joining Murfreesboro NAACP President David Settle on the Jan. 19, 2026 Action Line on MLK, Jr. Day, he spoke again with NewsRadio WGNS as a large crowd filed into Central Magnet School on East Main Street. The sunny and 40-degree temps added a big smile on his face.