His death hit Baltimoreans hard, and Wednesday morning city officials preached of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.
"It's like someone in your family had died; he represented so much hope for our country and so much hope for our community," said Mayor Catherine Pugh.
Hope that change is coming.
"If he was living today he would be proud of many of the strides we've made, but he would also be concerned about many of the strides that we have not made," said Pugh. "There would probably still be discussions around racial inequities, the lack of inclusiveness and diversity in our country, and the fights that we're still having take place and the discussion about who should be here in our country and who is not."
"I think he would be a little disappointed in the murders that's going on in black cities across the country from the drug epidemic," added on Council President Jack Young.
"Now is the time to do what is right, now is the time for us to strive to live up to the vision of Dr. King who will forever remain an example of freedom," said Comptroller Joan Pratt.
The freedom to be who you are.
"I just want to remind us all of the importance of equality, and justice and how we should look at each other and remind ourselves how much we have in common as opposed to what we don't," explained Pugh.
"Martin Luther King said that we shall overcome one day," said Young. "I'm still waiting on that day."
