Poll: Civil Rights Advancements Is MLK's Most Important Legacy

 MILWAUKEE -Most Americans believe the "most monumental" facet of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, legacy is the advancement of civil rights in the U.S,  according to the Northwestern Mutual Foundation's "Monumental Legacy" survey, 

The survey was presented prior to the dedication of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., monument on the National Mall in Washington this weekend.

When asked "which aspect of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy is most monumental," half of respondents (47%) chose "his advancements in civil rights to help all people achieve their full potential."

About one-third (37%) chose "his efforts to end poverty and raise awareness about people-in-need." About one-in-six (16%) selected "his unwavering commitment to core values: nonviolence, justice and equality."

"When you're asked to assess the legacy of a man who left so much behind to future generations, it's challenging to say what is most monumental," said Kimberley Goode, Northwestern Mutual Foundation president. "Our survey shows that most Americans will remember Martin Luther King, Jr.'s passion for civil rights and his courage to stick with his dream to secure equal opportunities for all Americans."

The culminating event of the dedication weekend will be Morehouse College's Memorial Concert and Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.,

The concert, which will take place at the Kennedy Center on Sunday, August 28 at 7 p.m., will be hosted by Morehouse alumnus and Academy Award-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson and his wife, actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson. It will feature "Timeless Voices" Eddie Levert, Dennis Edwards and Johnny Gill. Grammy Award-winner Stevie Wonder and Congressman John Conyers, (D) Michigan, will both receive the Presidential Renaissance Medallion of Merit for their roles in spearheading the effort to recognize King's birthday as a national holiday.