Ralph McGill, who was a longtime editor and publisher of The Atlanta Constitution, wrote more than 10,000 columns from June 1938 until his death in February 1969.

Dr. Martin Luther King mentioned McGill in his “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” in 1963, writing that McGill was one of the “few enlightened white persons” to understand and sympathize with the civil rights movement.

RELATED: Why we celebrate Ralph McGill during Black History Month

And in 1964, McGill went on to win the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In the video above, Monica Richardson, managing editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, reads excerpts from former publisher Ralph McGill’s column written in 1963 about the March on Washington.

RELATED: Ralph McGill’s 1968 column after the death of Martin Luther King

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Fireworks will be set off at dusk at Alpharetta’s Independence Day event at Wills Park. The photo shows a view of a previous year’s fireworks from the nearby Walk of Memories at American Legion Post 201. (Courtesy of Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau/Jack Tuszynski)

Credit: Jack Tuszynski/PhotoJack.net

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The city of Brookhaven's mayor and City Council last week decided to remove the colored panes of glass from the dome of Brookhaven's new City Centre after residents objected to the brightness of the colors, seen here Friday, June 27, 2025. (Reed Williams/AJC)

Credit: Reed Williams/AJC