Watch: Dr. King gave speech in West Philadelphia in 1965

Dr. King in Philadelphia during Freedom Now tour in 1965

Dr. King in Philadelphia during Freedom Now tour in 1965 01:06

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Dr. King had a deep connection to Philadelphia, often returning to give speeches at local colleges and churches.

In 1965, the civil rights leader delivered a historic speech at 40th Street and Lancaster Avenue in West Philadelphia.

CBS Philadelphia dug deep in the archives and found video from 1965, which you can watch in the stream at the top of this page.

More than 10,000 people came to listen to Dr. King speak on August 3, 1965. This was part of Dr. King’s Freedom Now tour.

Just three days later, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. 

A mural by Cliff Eubanks depicts Dr. King’s historic 1965 speech right where he gave it 58 years ago.    

A historical marker also commemorates the civil rights efforts of Dr. King.

You can honor the legacy of Dr. King by attending an event on Monday.

CBS3 Staff

The CBS3 Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSPhiladelphia.com.

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