Celebrating MLK, Celebrations, Remembrances, and Marches

ALACHUA ‒ Almost every community in America honors the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. King inspired millions of people in his lifetime, and he changed the face of American society by bringing awareness about equal rights. During the 1950s and 1960s he rose to national prominence, and his death on April 4, 1968 at the hands of an assassin shocked and angered the nation. But his legacy and accomplishments live on.

King was one of many people who became involved in the Civil Rights movement, but his speaking ability and organization of non-violent protests, large marches and economic boycotts made him the most visible leader of the movement. He helped organize the 1963 March on Washington where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech to a crowd of over 250,000 people. On Oct. 14, 1964, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to fight racial inequality through nonviolent protests. King was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.

Martin Luther King Day was enacted as a federal holiday through legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. Now each year, on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Day is celebrated to mark his birth on Jan. 15, 1929.

In High Springs, Reverend and current Mayor Byran Williams has led a memorial march down West U.S. Highway 27 from City Hall to Catherine Taylor Park for the past 10 years.

“My church, Mount Carmel United Methodist Church, has been holding remembrance services for MLK day for over 20 years,” said Williams. “About 10 years ago it was decided to open the services to the whole community by creating a walk that all could participate in, similar to the marches that King organized, to honor the day and unify the community.”

This year, on a cold Monday morning, about 50 people gathered at High Springs City Hall to make the almost mile walk accompanied by a police escort. Once at the park, there was singing by Spiritual Excellence followed by Noah Brock describing Dr. King's life and achievements and keynote speaker Reverend Jon Ingraham.

For the past 16 years the City of Alachua has hosted a celebration of Martin Luther King Day with an event at the Cleather Hathcock Community Center. The City provides a catered lunch, equipment, law enforcement and some of the entertainment for the event. City employees from the parks and recreation department and the city manager's office volunteer their time and services for the event. Volunteers from churches and community organizations also offer their time to serve the food, prepare desserts and provide entertainment and information.

This year’s event started at 11 a.m. with an opening prayer by Pastor Gregory Pelham and the National Anthem sung by Antionette Hunt. Master of Ceremony Carol Richardson introduced speakers Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper, State Representative Yvonne Hinson and Florida State Senator Keith Perry. Entertainment from the Smooth Flava Dance group followed. Inside the Hathcock Center, Alachua born artist Kenneth Kith displayed his artwork while caterers set up lunch outside on the porch.

Speakers included Dr. Micha Johnson who spoke of his early life of homelessness and poverty and the childhood trauma that many minority children face. Born and initially raised in South Florida, Johnson was uprooted at a young age to Brooklyn, New York. Living in impoverished conditions, often homeless in a volatile family situation, Johnson's neighborhood was a dangerous place with gangs, drugs and poverty.

Many of the New York kids called him a farmer or hick due to his accent and background in the south. Johnson had low self-esteem and fear of not being accepted, especially due to his homeless situation. “I was afraid that once my friends found out about living in homeless shelters I would be shunned,” he said. But the opposite happened. “They all accepted that I was in a hard situation and never once mentioned or joked about my situation.”

Sleeping in cars and homeless shelters, Johnson graduated from high school and was accepted at the University of Florida where he pursed three degrees, including his doctorate in Sociology. He now teaches at the University of South Florida about childhood trauma and its effects on self-worth and ability to achieve.

Events held throughout the country not only honor King and his legacy, but they also memorialize the changes in society that King helped bring about.

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