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Overcast and Breezy Long Beach keeps the dream alive
More than 150 march in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The cold winter weather could not deter the lively spirits of more than 150 people who gathered on Monday at Laurelton Boulevard and Park Avenue to take part in the Long Beach Martin Luther King Center’s annual parade honoring the birthday of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Children, teenagers and adults were bundled up as they waved miniature American flags and toted banners and cardboard cutouts of Dr. King and President Barack Obama as they marched to commemorate the memory and legacy of one of the country’s most revered historical figures.
The march began at 11:30 a.m., and concluded at the Martin Luther King Center. Participants who braved the cold marched along the same path that the civil rights leader took when he visited the city back in 1968 before his death.
The event was led by Grand Marshal and Tuskegee Airman Julius Freeman, who was accompanied by City Manager Jack Schnirman, City Council President Fran Adelson, Council Vice President Len Torres, Councilmen Mike Fagen and Scott Mandel and Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford (R-Long Beach).
The procession, which included a police and fire truck escort, drew the attention of parade-goers, who could be seen smiling, cheering and shedding tears. Many, including Wilton Robinson Jr., a trustee of the MLK Center, emphasized the importance of keeping Dr. King’s dream alive, and how the event continues to unify the community.
“It’s the largest parade we’ve had in the last three or four years,” he said. “People are passionate. This is a significant walk.”
Robinson also stressed the importance of the annual event for a younger generation of children. “We want to celebrate him. What kids learn in school is ‘I Have a Dream,’” he said, referring to Dr. King’s famous speech. “King had a dream, but he had a vision, determination . . . those are things we want to see in our kids today.”
After the march, the MLK Center honored the life and legacy of Dr. King with an annual luncheon and fundraiser at the center’s gymnasium. There, Master of Ceremonies and MLK Center Board Chairman James Hodge offered opening remarks, calling on those in attendance to remember Dr. King.
