In considering the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, George S. Forrest Sr. pointed to two factors that continue to have the most profound impact on his own life—the struggle to ensure equal voting rights and increased access to educational opportunities.

Forrest, a retired McDonald’s corporate executive and current owner/operator of five of its restaurants in the Charlotte, N.C., area, was guest speaker at Sunday afternoon’s King Day program in Mathews.

A capacity crowd filled Zion Baptist Church in Cardinal for the nearly two-hour service that was sponsored by the Mathews County chapter of the NAACP.

One hundred and ten years ago, W.E.B. Du Bois recognized the importance of maintaining the right to vote. “The power of the ballot we need in sheer self-defense … else what shall save us from a second slavery?” the civil rights activist asked in his 1903 classic work, “The Souls of Black Folk.” While not a literal “second slavery,” Forrest said that Du Bois was referring to institutionalized discrimination, denying African Americans an equal opportunity for everything from jobs and loans to housing.

King took up this struggle to end poll taxes and other efforts to keep African Americans from voting, culminating in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “Give us the ballot and we will fill our legislative halls with men of good will,” Forrest said, quoting from a 1957 speech by King. With the inauguration of President Barack Obama coming on the same day as the official King Day observance, Forrest said, part of the civil rights leader’s vision has been fulfilled, but much more still needs to be done.

“We are moving in the right direction, but we need to evolve,” Forrest said.

A catalyst for bringing about this evolution, he said, is a renewed emphasis on education. Forrest was a trailblazer from his early days growing up in Susan, taking advantage of many of the educational opportunities that came his way.

“His life has been a life of firsts,” said cousin Charles A. Forrest, who introduced him. George Forrest was one of the first to integrate the Mathews County Little League, one of the first African Americans from Mathews selected to Boys State and, in 1974, graduated from Mathews High School as class salutatorian, another first, his cousin said.

From Mathews, he went on to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he worked at McDonald’s flipping burgers to earn some money. After graduating from UNC, he quickly worked his way up the corporate ladder at McDonald’s, advancing to the post of regional vice president. He retired from the company in 2008, getting permission the following year to put his training to work as a franchise owner.

When he’s asked to give a speech, George Forrest normally has to devote the first part of his talk to explaining where he grew up. Not so on Sunday. “Today, I feel like I’m home,” he said, although he currently lives in Alpharetta, Ga., and Charlotte, N.C.

“I’m always in awe that people are interested in hearing my story,” Forrest said, adding that “if someone finds a little encouragement and excitement … I’ll keep telling them.”

Not all the education Forrest received was in the classroom. He spoke of his first big break in 1992 when he moved to New York to serve as one of three field service managers. When the three managers would meet at 9 each morning with the general manager, Forrest found that he wasn’t able to have much input to the discussions. At first, he thought maybe it was because he was the new guy, or maybe the other managers were just better.

But he did his homework and started asking around the office. He found that his boss was a creature of habit, arriving every day at 6 a.m. The other managers would get in at 7 and have a chance to talk to him first. “Rest assured, after that I was there at 6 o’clock in the morning,” Forrest said. Soon after, he was the other guys’ supervisor.

“Education and information gives you knowledge. And knowledge is power,” Forrest said. To this day, he said, “I’m always looking for ways to continue to grow and enrich myself.

“I stand on the shoulders of many others that have come before me,” Forrest said. Martin Luther King Jr. helped blaze a path, “but our work isn’t done,” he said. Forrest urged those present to use their vote and their education to continue to advance.

“Let’s move forward and let’s evolve,” he concluded.

Alexis Foster served as worship leader for Sunday’s service. Angela Pollard read scripture from Matthew 5:43-48. Dwayne Ward delivered the opening prayer. Doris J. Foster-Curseen officially welcomed everyone to the service. Joshua Generation led the church’s choir in a number of rousing gospel selections.

At the conclusion of Sunday’s program, local NAACP president Raymond Willis Sr. urged all those present to become members and get involved in the organization’s activities.