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Twiggs County man remembers meeting Dr. King 12 days before he was killed

Ira Joe Johnson met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 12 days before he was killed.

The anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's Jr's assassination is two weeks away, and one Twiggs County man is trying to keep his dream alive. We spoke to Ira Joe Johnson, who met with King 12 days before he was killed.

Ira Joe Johnson grew up in Twiggs County and remembers it like it was yesterday -- the day Dr. Martin Luther King came to Macon.

"I heard on the radio he would be coming through, and Dr. King was pushing for the poor people's march at that time, so I heard what church he would be at," Johnson said.

Johnson said he caught a ride to New Zion Baptist Church in Macon, but Dr. King was running late.

"One hour went by, we were waiting on Dr. King, no Dr. King. two hours went by, we were still waiting on Dr. King, three hours went by, and the preacher said, 'Don't give up -- Dr. King is having issues with his plane,'" Johnson said.

Johnson said the crowd of hundreds dwindled, but he's glad he stayed, because soon after, his patience paid off.

"Five hours, Dr. King walked in the church, and it was applause, and the church just roared with enthusiasm," Johnson said.

Once King finished giving three sermons, Johnson finally got his chance to meet him.

"I made my way, I made my way to the pulpit with Dr. King," Johnson said.

King asked the high school senior what college he was going to be attending.

"I said, 'I would love to go to Morehouse,'" Johnson said.

"'You're going to Morehouse? You're going to Morehouse, and can you join us in Washington?'" King responded to him.

Johnson agreed to come, but 12 days later, King was shot and killed. Johnson said that even though King died, it motivated him.

"Because since that time, Dr. King put me on a march, he put me on a march," Johnson said.

Johnson is having an event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's visit to Macon on Friday, March 23 at New Hope Baptist Church located at 1465 Burton Road in Macon. Everything starts at 7 p.m.

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