As they did during the height of the civil rights movement, thousands took to the street in peaceful demonstration marching to show appreciation.

"I'm marching because of what he did for my ancestors, they come a long way, it means a lot to me," said Omar Thompson.

Others taking the opportunity as role models to educate.

"Let the young people know a lot of people fought for our freedoms and we have to come out so that they won't forget the path that we came from," said Mantrell Blount.

Four separate marches working as one converged on Macon's City Hall in unison. Organizers said there's a mission and a message behind it all.

"We want to mentor, we want to mobilize and motivate our people," said Lisa Watson.

Seen as a spectacle, Watson said it's more than just a 24-hour celebration.

"We march today, we celebrate today, we commemorate today, but we work everyday," said Watson.

As President Obama addressed the country in his inaugural address, Macon Mayor Robert Reichert addressed his city.

"It is most appropriate that we today commemorate the past, celebrate the present, and commit ourselves to the future," said Reichert as the crowd cheered.

The masses gathered for one final march, to Steward Chapel. The location of Dr. Kings first of two visits to Macon where first grader Ashton Young delivered a crowd pleasing rendition of that famous "I Have a Dream" speech in the same pool pit Dr. King himself once stood.

Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech will celebrate its 50th anniversary later this year. African Americans are also celebrating 150 years of freedom from slavery and if not for his untimely death in 1969, Dr. King would have celebrated his 84th birthday last week.