Hundreds of people from all over Central Georgia celebrated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday.
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Monday at The Spot, a church-based community center at 1030 Cross Park Ave.in Iowa City, organizations and volunteers spent their day off from work or school making care packages of toiletry items for the homeless and food for the needy in honor of King. “Not only Dr. King but other forefathers and mothers who came through during the civil rights time”.
“One of the sad things I’ve seen in the last 20 years is the increasing number of young children who do not know who Martin Luther King is”, Pickett said. “So, we can really step up the game, because we still have a long ways to go”.
King is also remembered for his famous “I have a Dream” speech.
“That this day was an important day and somebody very important passed away for what he believed in, he had a dream”, said Julius Lopez, 11th grade.
It was a history lesson about the lesson’s we’ve learned, and haven’t learned, close to 50 years later. Arizona didn’t recognize Martin Luther King Day until 1992, after a tourist boycott. “If I am to challenge you today, I challenge you to take a stand”.
“We’re living in such a critical age now, so if we don’t train our children they’re going to lose the essence of what Dr. King did and what he stood for”, Mitchell said.
Sanders reminded the crowd King was a dynamic leader who wanted to help the poor.
Much like Dr. King struggled for equal rights, his supporters struggled to get him honored in a special way, after his death.
He said he hoped people would come to the parade and display unity, despite the existence of violence and turmoil in the world. He went on to use the same lesson with his teachers when he became an administrator, he said. I mean there are 300 people taking part today and they will sort and pack 30,000 pounds of produce for us to give out. “… We have made some (accomplishments), but we are not as far along as we should be”.
Earlier Monday, about two dozen people gathered at Westlake Avenue North and Republican Street in South Lake Union to speak out against Seattle police tactics against Black Lives Matter demonstrators.
Combating crime, getting African Americans out to vote and having quality schools for minority kids were some of the celebration’s resounding themes.
Well be back next year for sure, she said.
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Plans were underway to designate a national holiday to honor Dr. King just four days after his assassination.
