The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. walked the streets of Long Beach in March 1968, less than two weeks before his assassination. Almost 60 years after his visit, and 40 years after Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday across the country, more than 150 people of all creeds, colors and backgrounds marched those same streets, helping his spirit and message live on.
The MLK Community Center celebrated the holiday with its annual commemorative march, which began at the corner of West Park Avenue and Laurelton Boulevard, across the street from the Laurel Diner. The Rev. Ronald McHenry, a Long Beach native and the pastor at Evangel Revival Community Church, led the march with a bullhorn in hand.
The crowd ignored the chilly 31-degree weather, making its way down West Park Avenue for nearly a mile before reaching the MLK Center, on Riverside Boulevard. Along the route, McHenry led the marchers in responsive cheers, asking participants, “Tell me what America looks like!” The diverse crowd responded in unison, “This is what America looks like!” The marchers also sang verses of “This Little Light of Mine” and “We Shall Overcome” musical references to King’s groundbreaking civil rights work.
When the crowd reached the center, a gymnasium-turned-reception hall was prepared for a big turnout, with 24 eight-seat tables that were quickly filled by friends, family, neighbors, strangers, children and seniors, as well as local notables — several City Council members, City Manager Dan Creighton, former Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, and Rabbis Jack Zanerhaft, of Temple Emanu-El, and Eli Goodman, of Chabad of the Beaches.
Two grand marshals were also featured and celebrated — Mother Kathy Williams, a former member of the NAACP and the North Park Civic Association, and a cherished member of the Christian Light Missionary Baptist Church; and Herman Prophett, who joined the Long Beach Fire Department in 1979, eventually reached the rank of captain and remains an active volunteer.
The ceremony, which ran close to three hours, featured singing, dancing, speeches, award presentations, fundraising appeals and prayer. One constant throughout the day was a focus on youth participation. Children as young as 7 made brief spoken-word presentations, declaring their empowerment and their connection to King’s teachings.
Adam DeJesus, vice chair of the center, said later that highlighting younger members of the community was a conscious effort to instill long-term values. “We want the next generation to see what the last generation left behind,” DeJesus said, “so they can be inspired by it and continue onward.”
McHenry gave the keynote speech, and his topics ranged from religious to political to human — from loving your neighbor to the importance of Medicaid and SNAP benefits to the recent killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis. McHenry reminded the audience to be persistent when facing any hardship. “No matter how dark it is through the night,” he said, “as long as we continue to struggle through the night, daybreak will happen.”
Grand Marshals Williams and Prophett were presented with recognition awards, and shared their thoughts on the day. Williams, a longtime Sunday school teacher, launched into an animated chorus of “The Lord Has Been Good to Me,” with many audience members joining in. Prophett, surrounded by fellow LBFD members and Fire Commissioner Joseph Miller, told the attendees to remain confident and assured of their intelligence, and believe in their own power to reach any goal.
Dance routines featuring youthful performers including the Generations Praise Dance Ministry, from the Christian Light Missionary Baptist Church; the Long Beach High School step team; and a praise dance performance by two LBHS students, twin sisters Kalisha and Kim Smith.
When the presentations concluded, attendees enjoyed a hot and cold buffet-style meal and reflected on the day’s message and lessons. “Our city is proud to celebrate the life of a great American hero,” City Council President Brendan Finn said. “The march that retraces the steps of Dr. King as he visited Long Beach in 1968, a moving ceremony, and some very sound advice from a hero firefighter, Herman Prophett, defined the day.”
Finn went on to emphasize the grand marshal’s advice. “Be positive, accept responsibility as you confront life’s challenges, and stay committed to the community,” he said. “Dr. King would surely be proud of our city as he watched the community come together in his honor.”
James Hodge, the former chairman of the MLK Center, who helped to coordinate the day’s events, emphasized the benefits of looking back in order to move forward. “The more we speak about Dr. Martin Luther King, the more we speak about his values, the things that he spoke about and the things that he taught about,” Hodge said. “If we teach it to the youth, by the time they get ready to take the torch, the torch won’t drop and burn out.
“So many people want the torch, but they don’t understand what they’re holding — the history,” Hodge added. “It’s important to understand the history. We have to look back and see all that we’ve been through. What are we giving? What are we teaching?”
