By KEITH GRANT
Threatening clouds never dared to dampen the spirits of marchers who walked and sang down Park Avenue on a day that not only celebrated civil rights hero Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but also a new beginning at the city's MLK Center.
At the end of the King Day celebration on Monday, Lawrence Burns was introduced as the Center's new executive director, succeeding Patrick Graham, who is moving back to North Carolina after three years of noted leadership.
Jackie Wilson, chair of the MLK Center board, said the outgoing director would not soon be forgotten, yet there was still much work to be done.
"We miss Patrick already, but things have to go on," Wilson said. "We applaud Patrick for all of the fine work he's done for the MLK Center."
Burns owns 22 years of administrative experience, including work as an administrative assistant for the center, and is also a teacher, in Freeport. When he took to the podium, he received a standing ovation and chants from residents of "All right, Larry!" Clearly intending to carry on and expand the center's educational programs, Burns said, "For too long we have held school responsible for molding our children."
Burns noted the importance of building character in youths while building brain power.
"We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character is the goal of education," he said. "It is easier to build boys and girls than to mend men and women."
An hour earlier, about 100 men, women, boys and girls marched down Park Avenue from Laurelton Boulevard to Riverside Boulevard, turning north down Riverside to the MLK Center. Carrying banners and cut-outs of Martin Luther King Jr.'s image, the marchers carried King's spirit in song through the streets of Long Beach before bringing the festivities into the confines of the center.
The Rev. William Fuller, former chairman of the MLK Center board, gave an invocation, asking for the audience to thank God for "giving us such a man. We honor him as an example to our youth."
The city was represented by all five members of the City Council, who were joined by Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, Recreation Superintendent Bob Carroll, and community policing liason Lt. Jack Radin.
Michael Zapson, former council member and current Nassau County legislator, spoke on behalf of the table of elected officials.
"What we learn from [King] is something we should practice with each other each day: treat each other the way you want to be treated," Zapson said. "If we can all do this, our community would be a better place, and our country will be a better place."
Jasmine Graham, 12-year-old multi-talented daughter of Patrick Graham, served as mistress of ceremonies, alongside active community leader Donnel Brantley. After a spellbinding poem by Alonzo Hodge, a pair of duets by fourth-graders Antonia Morris and Noelle Addison brought the house down and charged up the audience. The youths of the Christian Light Choir carried that momentun through their two-song set, which even brought former city councilwoman Pearl Weill out of her seat.
After a performance by the MLK Center step team, Jasmine Graham introduced her dad, who walked forward to a loud ovation to say his goodbyes to the center and his hometown city.
"Well, this is it," he said. "First of all, I would like to thank God and this community for this opportunity to share myself." Pausing for a moment, Graham added, "I would also like to thank those who did not support me and my methods."
Graham suggested that such conflict brought out the best in him, allowing him to grow stronger in his convictions. Such initiatives as declaring the center a drug-free school zone, instituting more educational programs, and expanding the center's programs into other parts of the city did not have unanimous backing by community members, Graham has said.
That experience, he said, made him think often of King's last years before his death, a time when King was not at his height in popularity. Noting King's support for numerous controversial moverments, including his increasingly vocal anti-Vietnam position, Graham said, "For some people, that was pretty dangerous. He was no longer the good Samaritan who came out and just said let's all love each other."
While many of King's supporters began to back out, Graham said, "I remember that Martin, because that's the Martin that I'm most proud of."
Graham closed by asking residents not to be "fair-weathered friends" of the MLK Center and its youth, referring to residents who distanced themselves from the center during its financial struggle and damaging audit in 1996, but who now seek to be a part of it again.
"Our youth don't need fair-weathered friends," he said. "If you're not willing to work and share with people of all walks of life, you have the wrong spirituality. The spirit for service is one of God's greatest gifts."
Refusing to say goodbye, Graham ended his tenure simply, declaring, "see you later. God bless."
