As a nation, today we celebrate the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a legacy built on making a difference and being a voice for others.
For receiver Calvin Austin III, it's a legacy he is quite familiar with.
Austin is from Memphis, Tennessee, the place where King was assassinated in 1968 at the Lorraine Motel.
That location is now the National Civil Rights Museum, a tribute to Dr. King and all of the work done for the civil rights movement.
And it's a location Austin has been to multiple times.
From a school trip as a kid, to a visit when Memphis played in the Liberty Bowl, to when he was honored at the Black Men Crowned Awards held at the museum in 2021, Austin has walked through the museum time and time again, learning something new every time and taking in everything that King did to help with the civil rights movement.
"I've been there a lot and each time you focus on something different, or learn something new, or get moved by something you didn't think about," said Austin. "For anyone who wants to go, I would encourage you to go again, because I feel like you really can't capture everything with just one tour or walk around. There is so much there, so much history, and so many lessons learned about Dr. King."
Among the items in the museum that give a true depiction of what it was like for those fighting for civil rights is a burnt-out bus that was ridden by 'freedom riders' into the segregated South and were attacked in Alabama and the bus set on fire, as well as tables that depict the restaurant sit-ins fighting segregation.
But nothing is more compelling than the replication of the room where Dr. King was staying when he was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. The room is set up the same as it was that dreadful day in 1968 when Dr. King's life was taken away.
While the rest of the museum creates conversation and questions, this final segment is approached with reverence, silence and deep emotion.
"Going through there, I had the opportunity to get on the bus, sit at the table where they did sit-ins are, seeing the hoses and dogs the police used to fight the activists," said Austin. "And then you get to the end, where you walk through and see the room where he stayed, you see the pictures and everything just like it was that day.
"It's surreal, kind of eerie. You feel something inside. He was a man who was trying to make the world a better place and they assassinated him right here. It's kind of a shock to you because you don't know how to feel. You're right there. It's very moving."
While an early school trip might have increased Austin's awareness of Dr. King's legacy, it wasn't the only thing that sparked the young receiver's interest in learning more. He was always captivated by Dr. King's contributions to the civil rights movement, a man who gave so much to simply help others.
"Most importantly is that he rode his own wave and started something," said Austin. "In life in general, a lot of people can be impactful people or have good ideas, but it takes something inside of a person to actually take that leap of faith and put yourself out there and say we can all be one.
"There are people that say certain things about him or against him, but me being a Christian, that's what I'm all about. We're supposed to come together as one under God and love each other. For a Black man at that time to say something, he had some supporters, some doubters and all that, but he still continued, and he walked on.
"It was important to him. He knew that this wasn't just for him. It was for us now in 2024. It takes a tremendous sacrifice and just confidence for a person to do something to sacrifice their life. And that is what he did during that time. He put his life on the line not just thinking about himself. It makes you reflect."
Austin's senior year at Memphis he was part of a group honored at the museum at the annual Black Men Crowned Awards, which honors Black males in the Memphis area for their leadership and accomplishments in different fields.
Just knowing the history of the museum, being honored there moved Austin.
"That was very impactful for me," said Austin. "Back then I didn't really see myself as somebody in the community that little kids, specifically young Black kids, could look up to. Being there and having kids talk to me, tell me they watched me at Memphis, and other things, it was very impactful. It made me reflect and know you're an example for people. I need to continue to put myself out there because by nature I'm kind of an introvert. But God blessed me with intelligence, and I know there are things I can do, and that encouraged me to continue to do them."
Austin hopes that Dr. King's message, that his legacy, that his battle for all to be treated as one is something that never gets lost on today's youth. He knows how important it is for kids to continue to learn about it, whether it's in the classroom or through an educational and emotional trip to the museum.
"We're supposed to be one and united under God," said Austin. "You don't want to stifle someone's legacy or a memory of them after they sacrificed so much, put their life on the line every day, to not teach the youth and not educate people on what he did. That would be a disservice or dishonor to what he stood for.
"I feel like when you teach a young child his story, it can only inspire them to show their true self. If they have an idea that they have been holding back, they can hear his story and have confidence to show themselves."
