The 23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration highlighted the diversity and spirituality of Milwaukee and hopes for the future.

The celebration took place at Uihlein Hall in the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St., Sunday afternoon, honoring King a day before the national holiday dedicated to him.

The theme of the celebration was "This is a time for positive action," a line from King's speech "Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story."

The event featured local politicians and community leaders' tributes to King as well as spiritual presentations from various groups around the Milwaukee area.

The theme of peace also was prominent. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said, in a speech, he remembered King as a man who dedicated himself to education and peace.

"King was a man of peace when it came to action," he said. "We need peaceful, forceful people to help this city."

Barrett called on the audience members to dedicate themselves to King's message and learn from his teachings.

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker also offered his thoughts on what King's memory means for Milwaukee.

"In pursuing this positive change, it is not what we say but how we live," he said.

Although the call for peace was heard by the audience, U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) offered what she believed was the next step in civil and equal rights.

"The next civil rights challenge is economic justice," she said. "We need to leverage federal funds so that more people can realize their potential."

Moore said that in her role as a member of the House Committee on Financial Services she would push for improving economic and employment conditions in low-income areas.

Sheila Smith, a member of the audience, said she believed Moore's comments went hand-in-hand with King's message.

"Home ownership is the beginning of wealth, which creates a financial legacy for generations to come," she said. "It also gives people security and a sense of pride" which would stop people from committing acts of crime.

Moore said she was only observing instead of celebrating King's birthday because she believes there is still so much to do in the way of civil rights.

Smith, who attended Marquette for two years before transferring to Howard University in Washington, D.C., said Marquette students are in the perfect position to carry out King's message.

"Marquette is surrounded by need," she said. "Not a day goes by that people don't ask Marquette students for help and the way to help is to give them food, volunteer and pass on words of comfort to people who need them."

The celebration featured awards given to elementary and high school students from the Milwaukee area for their writing, speech and artistic abilities.

Groups such as the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance, the All Saints Choir and the Christian dance troop Rhemadances performed.

Darnell Cole, president of Milwaukee Area Technical College, said that although King died 39 years ago, his ideas remain relevant and his words still ring true.

He said the civil rights movement was far from done in pursuit of equality.

"Freedom is worth dying for but freedom is not worth killing for," he said, paraphrasing King.

The Rev. Bryan Massingale, associate professor of theology, gave the invocation at the beginning of the celebration.

The United States Postal Service also commemorated a postage stamp honoring Ella Fitzgerald as a part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series during the celebration.