Smith was the keynote speaker at Concordia University's Gangelhoff Arena during a two-hour program attended by state and local leaders. Prior to the program, the crowd walked a half-mile route to the arena, despite below-zero temperatures.

Smith is pastor of the Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis. The two-year-old church plant is deliberately multi-ethnic with an emphasis on reconciliation.

Smith said people can best honor King by working to transform his dream into reality. Focusing on developing youth and giving them a sense of purpose will be key to that transformation, he said. "There must be a value of life from womb to tomb," Smith told the crowd in remarks replayed on a local news station. "You can't say you love life in the womb, but then when they're a sixth grader in the public schools, you don't even talk about the value of life then. Life must be life long-term."

Following his remarks, a youth drum corps broke into a spontaneous performance. Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Sen. Mark Dayton and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak were among the dignitaries who spoke during the rally, which included traditional African dances offered by a troupe of St. Paul grade school children.