Religion News Service is marking the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with stories and commentaries looking back at the tragic, momentous event. The rest of the package can be found here.

(RNS) — The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was an iconic spiritual and cultural figure. King understood the power of the media in disseminating his messages and highlighting civil rights causes. Fifty years after his assassination, images still convey the power of his work.