KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:
In Atlanta today, thousands of people gathered at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin Luther King Jr. once preached. They reflected on King's legacy as they prepare to see the nation's first black president leave office and President-elect Donald Trump sworn in. From member station WABE in Atlanta, Elly Yu reports.
UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Singing) (Unintelligible).
ELLY YU, BYLINE: A choir sings as part of the annual service in remembrance of King, who would have been 88 years old this year. About 2,000 people packed into the pews at the church near downtown Atlanta as hundreds more stood outside. King's daughter, the Reverend Bernice King, was among the first to address the crowd.
She told them to stay committed to fighting for justice in light of the incoming administration.
BERNICE KING: Because at the end of the day, Donald Trumps come and go, but injustice will still be here.
YU: King called for people to unite and reflect back to her father saying there's a choice between creating chaos or community.
KING: Dr. King brought to us a message of unity. He brought to us a message of sister and brotherhood. And he taught us that no matter how much we differ, we still have to find a way to create this beloved community.
YU: The annual service comes just days after President-elect Trump tweeted criticism of civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis of Atlanta who marched with King. That's after Lewis said he didn't see Trump as legitimate. Trump tweeted Lewis should focus on his metro-Atlanta district, which he said was, quote, "in horrible shape and falling apart."
Atlanta's mayor Kasim Reed defended Lewis and said he wasn't going to let those tweets ruin his Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
KASIM REED: We want to get along in Atlanta. See, getting along is the Atlanta way. Mr. Trump may not have heard of the slogan that we are a city that is too busy to hate and not one that is too busy to love on each other.
YU: Atlanta resident Malika Sanders brought her 8-year-old son Malik to the service. She said it was important for her to have him remember King's legacy.
MALIKA SANDERS: More time than now, we're so divided as a country. And I just wanted my son just to see the unison of all races. And that's what Martin Luther King stands for, the unison of everybody.
YU: She said if Dr. King had been here today, his message would have been come together and not further divide. For NPR News, I'm Elly Yu in Atlanta.