A silent march began at the Ralph Ellison Library and ended at the Martin Luther King Tree of Life by the Capitol where prayers were said and actions remembered.
The words of Dr. King have been written and spoken over and over again. From those times to now, change has occurred in drastic form.
"When they saw the dogs being turned on innocent children ... and police firehosing people ... white people couldn't deny it anymore," says MLK Holidy Coalition member Paul Thompson.
Friday is a day of reflection and a reminder that change must continue as many picture what he would think of this new world.
"He would be somewhat disappointed that it took this long to get from there to where we are today ... but he would acknowledge that we've made a lot of progress," says Oklahoma City NAACP President Roosevelt Milton.
"He said repeatedly you cannot have some equality for some people and pretend successfully,"says Thompson. "It's about equality for everybody. It's equality for everybody, or it's not."
Thompson believes there's still more to be done--that our world is still a work in progress.
"The struggle still isn't over because there still isn't the acceptance of the real idea of real equality," says Thompson.
"People knew Dr. King was something special and that he wouldn't be easily replaced," says Milton.
A day forty years ago that many felt held only despair has now become one of renewed hope and inspiration for the future.
Thompson says he remembers when MLK's tree was first planted. He says it was broken and toppled over countless times and that the strength of that tree now represents the strength of Dr. King's words.
