It's been 50 years since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday, residents of Geneva came together to commemorate what would have been his 89th birthday.

“This man gave his life for the freedoms we enjoy. It doesn’t matter what race, ethnicity, what religion that you are, we all work together,” said Donald Golden, president of the city's MLK Committee.

About 250 people walked from the Geneva Public Safety Building to the First United Methodist Church and included a stop at the MLK memorial at Bicentennial Park.

Reverend Norvel Goff, a long-time pastor and civil rights leader in Rochester, served as the keynote speaker for 47th annual MLK Memorial Service. Reverend Goff is also known for his leadership as the head of the South Carolina church where nine parishioners were shot and killed by a white supremacist in 2015.  

“Our faith teaches us that our faith is stronger than fear and because of our faith we are able to one forgive, if we are expected to be forgiven," Rev. Goff said. "We must love our neighbors as we love ourselves and that's how we press forward.”