JEFFERSON CITY -- The Jefferson City Regional Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee celebrated the 25th anniversary of Holiday on Friday.

It’s been a quarter century since President Ronald Reagan signed the legislation recognizing the birth date of civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Junior, as a national holiday.

“This man gave the greatest service that anyone can ever give,” said Bill Miller, the keynote speaker at the celebration. personnel director for the Jay Nixon administration. “And that was his life.”

Miller, who works as personnel director for the Jay Nixon administration, grew up in segregated Mississippi and challenges himself to educate a generation far removed from the civil rights movement about the meaning of service and sacrifice.

"He was a man who was afraid, but showed no fear,” Miller said. “He was a man who walked tirelessly, under constant strife.  He was a man who always had words of comfort, when all he heard were words of hate.”

Again this year, the MLK Committee presented cash awards to middle school and high school students for posters and essays honoring the King legacy.

Click on the video player to watch video of the celebration, which includes singing and dancing performances from local school children.