There were prayers for equality and time to reflect on the accomplishments of the slain civil rights hero.
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Entitled "Defending the Dream," the 37th year of the city-sponsored gathering celebrated Dr. King's life and his legacy of service.
"He would often remind us that living was a part of being engaged in struggle and that you can never give up," said U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Chicago).
"If we know nothing of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, we need to know, we need to hold firm to his unyielding hand," Lightfoot said.
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It was the first time in three years that people came together in-person for the event, where the mayor also presented the City of Chicago Champion of Freedom Award posthumously to Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, for her tireless works in the community.
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"If only she could be here to see the fruits of her labor," said Ollie Gordon, one of Till-Mobley's relatives.
The keynote speaker for the breakfast was U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi), the lawmaker who was chairman of the January 6th House Select Committee that warned about the ongoing threat to democracy and the freedom Dr. King fought and died for.
"If Martin were today, he'd say, 'You know, Chicago, what you desperately need is a dose of courage and common sense,'" Thompson said.
The breakfast ended with those in attendance singing "We Shall Overcome" after they were all asked to go into their own communities and share the dream of Dr. King.
The Dr. Martin Luther King holiday is Monday.