The night before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated he gave his “I’ve Been to the Mountain Top” speech in support of striking garbage collectors in Memphis.

More than 50 years later, the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. lives on as a Day of Service. More than 400 volunteers collected trash and helped beautify Long Beach with 16 projects around the city on Monday.

“Martin Luther King worked to make this country a better place to live,” said Dr. Sean McMillan, pastor at St. Mark’s Church. “Today we will help make Long Beach a more beautiful city.”

The MLK Day of Service included gardening projects at a half dozen locations and litter pickup at parks and neighborhoods around the city.

“Dr. King’s speeches encouraged a call to action and for people to get out into the community to serve,” said Jeff Williams, Executive Director of Leadership Long Beach. “Events like this can make Long Beach a smaller space.”

More than 80 volunteers headed over to 14th Street Park in the Washington neighborhood. The group filled up more than 50 bags of garbage, cleaning up the park and the neighborhood around Washington Middle School.

Christopher Wood, 7, wasn’t interested in the speeches being delivered by politicians before the event. Dressed in a dinosaur sweater, he played catch with his buddies as he waited to head out with a group of Boy Scouts.

Christopher’s dad, John Allen Woods, seemed anxious to head to a park cleanup as well.

“The Scouts have taught him that it’s always a good day to do good things. Today’s going to be a good day.”

            Gregory Smith walks past a mural of Albert Einstein with a Christmas tree. Smith found the tree near Washington Middle School. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

Darryl Hughes helped collect trash near Washington Middle School. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Volunteers head out into 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood to pick up trash. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Christopher Woods danced while the rest of the volunteers listened to speeches before heading out to participate in the ninth-annual MLK National Day of Service in Long Beach. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Mica Wykes dances to a warm-up tune before heading out to her volunteer clean up location. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

 

Two young volunteers pick up trash in 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
The Long Beach Firefighters Association provided a pancake breakfast for volunteers before they headed out to participate in the ninth-annual MLK National Day of Service. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
The Long Beach Firefighters Association provided a pancake breakfast for volunteers. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Dinesa and Harper Whitman helped collect trash near Washington Middle School. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
A man sleeps in 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood while volunteers walk by to pick up trash. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
A young volunteer played with his garbage bag while the rest of the participants listened to speakers before the ninth-annual MLK National Day of Service. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
More than 400 people participated in the
Volunteers picked up trash next to Washington Middle School. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
A volunteer from the Edvo company helped pick up trash in 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Volunteers picked up trash in 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood.  (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Volunteers pick up trash in 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood.  (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Volunteers picked up trash along the fence line of 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood.  (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Ralph Quinto of the Edvo company helped pick up trash in 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood.  (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Ralph Quinto of the Edvo company helped pick up trash in the Washington Neighborhood.  (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
A volunteer rakes up trash along the fence line of 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood.  (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Veronica Garcia gives a hug to her son Jayden after the two spent the morning picking up trash in 14th Street Park in the Washington Neighborhood. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Harper Whitman picked up an armful of palm branches in the Washington Neighborhood.  (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)
Part of the group volunteers from the Washington Neighborhood clean-up crew pose for a photo at the end of the morning. More than 400 people participated in the ninth-annual MLK National Day of Service in Long Beach on Monday, January 21, 2019 (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)