The streets were closed in downtown meridian, for the dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day celebration on Monday.
The parade is now in it’s 18th year, according to charter committee member Barbara Tingle.
“It’s awesome. It’s been awesome because we know that we need people that will do some volunteering in order for our young people to be helped," Tingle said
Glenda Thomas was the program speaker for the event. And she was both honored and shocked to be a part of the celebration.
“I’m obviously white, and I’ve always associated Martin Luther King as a day for African Americans, “Thomas said. “and then I thought, when they asked me I thought, well why not, I believe in everything he said and I have loved speaking about him before. On different occasions, why not me?”
During her speech, Mrs. Thomas, recited excerpts, from many of Dr. King’s memorable quotes.
“The old testament taught, an eye for an eye. You remember that. If somebody does something to you, you do it back to them. In fact, about that eye for an eye thing this is what he said. If we do an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we will be a blind and toothless nation,” Thomas explained.
Although the parade is about celebration, Ms. Tingle wants everyone to remember where we came from.
“We were here, but we got here because of the struggles that Dr. Martin Luther King and others. We have people in Meridian who have struggled and they fought for the rights of our people,” She said. “We try to do things that will be of interest to everyone because this is history, and we shall not forget from which we came.”
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