Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have turned 96 years old. Though King's life was tragically cut short, a local pastor discovered his mission was to honor King's life and legacy through the civil rights leader's iconic speeches.

It was first proposed four days after King’s 1968 assassination outside a Memphis motel. It took 15 years until it became a federal holiday.

Martin Luther King Jr. might have been a giant in the Civil Rights Movement, but at home, the doting father of four was simply dad. As we observe what would have been his 96th birthday, look back at some of his family photos with his children Yolanda,