Handel’s Messiah, the soaring Baroque oratorio, typically resurfaces in churches and concert halls around Christmas or Easter, tracing the birth, death and resurrection of Christ in an immaculate, two-hour ascent to the "Hallelujah Chorus."

Its popularity with audiences – starting with its Dublin premiere nearly 280 years ago – means that the singers and musicians who continue to study and play it also have a certain relationship with the work.

...now is the time to “peel um and eat um!”

I love garlic and use it as a seasoning in so many dishes.

Hear the “striking voices” of the 1968 sanitation workers and their families – voices of Civil Rights activists who shaped Memphis and the world, now at the Benjamin L. Hooks Library.

Leading up to Wednesday's commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death 50 years ago, multiple groups hoped that the media spotlight on Memphis would draw attention to contemporary civil rights issues, from economic empowerment to social equality. With a backdrop and a microphone provided by the National Civil Rights Museum, activists appealed to various causes. Labor unions took to the streets of Memphis in a show of strength. In this second installment of our MLK50 recap, WKNO reporters Meredith Husar and Erin Conway discuss some of the political aspirations presented to the anticipated crowds of more than 100,000. 

  As children from Promise Academy raise their voices to the anthem "We Shall Overcome," hundreds of young activists flood the streets, lending their energy and vitality to a call for action.

Fifty years ago, adults might have been wary of bringing children to a civil rights march. But at Wednesday's MLK50 commemoration, from the marches to the speeches, children and young people could be seen in every crowd.

The week-long events surrounding the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death drew everyone from politicians, activists, labor leaders and tourists to Memphis. There were as many reasons to participate as there were causes to rally behind. In this segment reflecting on MLK50 events, WKNO reporters Sydney Matzko and Sierra Guardiola discuss the commemorative aspects of the observance, and how history has been used as an example for future activism.