COVINGTON, Ky. — Just two days before the holiday honoring the baptist minister and civil rights activist, Northern Kentucky residents gathered at the Church of Our Savior in Covington to discuss the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. 

For decades, the Saturday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been an important day for the church. Guest speaker Eric Jackson, Northern Kentucky University associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said he remembers the day King Jr. was assassinated. 

"When I was a child ... I remember the assassination of Dr. King, and then I remember the assassination of Malcolm X and all the way adults were crying," he said.

Jackson, who has published many books on American history and the Black experience, came to share his knowledge with the group. He collaborated with Sister Janet Bucher to make the event possible, who said having hard conversations about race in the U.S. is crucial to the success and happiness of everyone.

"We need to work for peace and justice for all people and break down the racism and the discrimination that we find in our country and in our world," Sister Janet said. 

Even ordinary people have the power to influence change, Jackson said. 

“Regardless of the negativity of what we're going through today on a partisan issue, just love each other and understand we're in the same place together," he said.