Several streets in Atlanta were closed off for the March for Humanity, which marked the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's funeral procession, WSB-TV reports.

The crowd first attended a church service at the Ebenezer Baptist Church before hitting the streets to march; the demonstration was led by the King's children and grandchild and other civil rights leaders.

"If you think it was bad now, you should have been there back then," noted politician, activist and U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young about the racial climate of the past versus now. Young served as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement and was a close confidant of Dr. King.

Young, who also once served as Atlanta's mayor, told the crowd that MLK “continues to reign among us, calling on us to do better and be the best that we can be.”

According to the Washington Post, Bill Watkins, a Los Angeles man, rode the bus for 55 hours so that he could attend the commemoration. Watkins noted the march was “all about telling the truth and honoring a man who stood in love.”

Leaders such as Rev. Al Sharpton and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms attended the event.

Many encouraged marchers to continue King's work.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sharpton said, “Dr. King was a dreamer, but he wasn’t asleep. Some of y’all are sleep-dreamin’, and sleep-walkin’. He was dreamin’ while he worked. He was dreamin’ while he marched. He was dreamin’ while he fed the hungry. He was dreamin' while he provided people the right to vote. Don’t go to sleep to dream. Get up and get some work done to dream!”

Another of King's contemporaries, C.T. Vivian, added that the time has come for the next generation to take up the fight for justice.

“There is no one day or one hour,” Vivian said. “This is a remaking and a rise of our movement. The people are here. The concern is here. The spirit is here. All over the nation. We will return to the same kind of continuous movement that Martin had.”

#MarchForHumanity just started. Proud to participate! pic.twitter.com/mRQskNiQkt— Economic Branch of Government (@EconomicGov) April 9, 2018

Celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr. #MarchForHumanity pic.twitter.com/g2NEs76cxx— Michael Strollo (@mcstrollo) April 9, 2018

We’re marching! Led by King Center CEO, @BerniceKing, and the King family. #MarchForHumanity #MLK50Forward #MLK pic.twitter.com/AZ8ycKk9yf— The King Center (@TheKingCenter) April 9, 2018

With @Tip about to #marchforhumanity as we remember #mlk 50 years after his assassination. The dream is alive! pic.twitter.com/So8AxAT5SZ— Tamika D. Mallory (@TamikaDMallory) April 9, 2018

Lots of different causes are being represented at today’s #MarchForHumanity! #HonoringMLK #MLk50 pic.twitter.com/dKMZAVARjy— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) April 9, 2018

Happening right now on Piedmont Ave. during the #MarchForHumanity #MLK50 #HonoringMLK ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4X9BVpPQIi— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) April 9, 2018

Daughters of great leaders lost to gun violence. #LoveForHumanityRally #MarchForHumanity #Evers #MalcolmX #MLK #RFK https://t.co/7DFq3q35ln— Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 9, 2018

Speaking at the #MarchforHumanity to commemorate the funeral procession for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that took place 50-years-ago today. #MLK50Forward pic.twitter.com/8Xz0pr7zrI— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) April 9, 2018

Gov. Nathan Deal meeting with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms at the King commemoration. pic.twitter.com/vPJPQJY1Wv— Richard Elliot (@RElliotWSB) April 9, 2018

Father brings his son to listen to speakers including @AmbAndrewYoung @wsbtv #MLK50Forward pic.twitter.com/qp7kP8bck3— Dave Huddleston (@DaveHWSB) April 9, 2018

The demonstration covered ground from the church to the Capitol, where the activists, carrying signs of movements past and present, were met by Georgia governor Nathan Deal.

“May the spirit of Martin Luther King continue to reign here in our capital city and in our great state of Georgia,” Deal said. “May it also reign throughout our great nation. His call for equality, his call for mercy, his call for love to overcome hate still resonates today.”

March For Humanity

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week