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COVID halts local MLK Jr. Day celebrations

The University of Arkansas alongside the City of Fayetteville had several events planned to celebrate MLK Jr. Day.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The surge in COVID-19 cases has put a damper on some local events planned in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday, Jan. 17. 

Many Arkansans turned to social media and Zoom meetings to keep the conversation going.

Fayetteville City Council member D'Andre Jones says celebrations of MLK Jr. Day go beyond hosting parades and banquets. Jones says it's important that we continue to remember and follow what Dr. King stood for and practice it daily, not just today. 

The Fayetteville Environmental Action Committee and Northwest Arkansas MLK Council hosted an invasive plant removal event as an act of service to honor the day.

Jones spoke about the importance of history and having conversations about the past and how we can move forward.

“In order to create a more diverse community, a more equitable community, it begins with education," Jones said. "And I believe that when we educate each other, we educate our children we will not repeat the challenges in the past.”

Jones says he's proud of the progress made in Fayetteville but there is still more work to be done, adding that Dr. King's message cannot be practiced just once a year.

RELATED: Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations at the U of A canceled

RELATED: Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta this day in 1929

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