Bells tolled at the Pickaway County Courthouse on August 28, 50 years to the minute after Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Organizations across the country were asked to participate in the “Let Freedom Ring” program put on by the King Center in Atlanta and the 50th Anniversary Coalition by tolling bells on the anniversary of the historic speech.

“When you have a 50 year anniversary of something as significant as Martin Luther King Jr.’s I have a dream speech, I think it’s very important that we recognize it in our community to make sure that the people growing up in this community understand the significance of this day,” said Brad Lutz, Pickaway County Administrator.

Lutz said the world is still facing a lot of racial issues, and said it’s important that the community listens to the words of Dr. King.

“I think there are a lot of people living in this community who lived through that time, and it’s important for them to recollect and to think about where we’ve come from and where we are at today, and like I said, pass those lessons on to their children. And this type of event spurs that questioning,” Lutz said.

Donald Metzler has rung the Pickaway County Courthouse bells for 12 years. He played a few patriotic tunes before the bell tolling.

“I have tolled the bells on several occasions. Most generally it’s to honor somebody,” Metzler said.

Pickaway County is honoring the man who dreamed that freedom should ring.

“We remember this is a fight that’s been going on for a long time and while we’ve made a lot of strides, we still have a long way to go,” Lutz said.