GAINESVILLE – The annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday got underway in Gainesville Monday morning at St. John Baptist Church. Approximately 300 people filled the sanctuary to watch musical dramatizations and hear testimonials honoring the legacy of the slain civil rights leader.
Although King was killed more than a half-century ago (April 4, 1968) and would have turned 90-years-old last week, King Holiday Planning Committee Chairwoman Irene Lipscomb said a special effort was being made to take King’s message and life story to the young members of the community.
“We have a lot of youth involvement,” Lipscomb said. Lipscomb is the granddaughter of Faye Bush, founder of the Newtown Florist Club, the longtime King Day event organizers. “We want to keep them involved.”
Gainesville High School student Cameron Hayden and his brother, Marquon Hester, wanted to be sure and spend part of their day off from school attending the King observance. They stood together at the rear of the sanctuary closely following the morning’s events.
“I feel that we bring the light,” the 15-year-old Hayden said, “because we are greatly influenced by the generation above us, and that we should always stand up for what is right.”
The national theme for the 2019 King Holiday Observance Program is: “Stand up! Speak up! Be active and participate!”
Event moderator, Rev. Charles Dickey, of the Interdenominational Black Ministers’ Association, looked across the sanctuary and asked, “Are you willing to stand up? Are you willing to speak up? Are you willing to be active and are you willing to participate? I’m not talking about complaining; I’m talking about being active. Amen! Complaining is not activism.”
Among local leaders speaking at the observance, Dr. Jeremy Williams, Superintendent of Gainesville City Schools, made a pair of announcements regarding the district’s commitment to honoring the legacy of the civil rights movement in Gainesville’s past. “In 1969 the doors of E.E. Butler High School closed. We have many (here) today many who attended Butler and Fair Street High School (segregation era schools for black city residents), and so it’s our job as a school system to make sure we honor that past.”
“So on February 1st, I want all of you, if you can, to come out to Gainesville High School – we’re having a throwback night. You’re going to see the Gainesville High School Red Elephants basketball teams wearing maroon and white,” Williams said of the old school colors of Butler High to loud applause.
“Also, I’m pleased to announce that this facility, St. John Baptist Church – the Gainesville High School Baccalaureate will be hosted here for the first time ever,” Williams said to even louder applause. “It’s time to make sure all ethnicities are brought together.”
Chilly weather doesn't deter marchers
Despite wind chills in the upper 30s, walkers took to the streets of Gainesville following the church service for an annual march to celebrate Dr. King.
With the Johnson High School Marching Band in the lead, a couple of hundred people stepped off from the front lawn of St. John Baptist Church and walked down EE Butler Parkway to Washington Street, then on to Main Street, College Avenue and to Fair Street, where they ended their trek at Fair Street School.
Among the marchers was Dionte Daniel, 16, who chose to spend part of his day celebrating the legacy of Dr. King.
"He was a great person," Daniel said. "He liked to help everybody and he wanted to make this country better. He wanted all of us to come together."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2019/1/755572/mlkjr-observance-starts-with-speakers-dramatizations-before-taking-to-the-streets-of-gainesville