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King Parade Took On Added Meaning, Spectators Say

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 19, 2009

PLANT CITY - The "I Have a Dream" speech delivered by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lincoln Memorial 45 years ago continues to inspire people throughout the nation and the world.

Participants in the 23rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Parade in Plant City showed that diversity in thought and ethnic background can come together under one flag. Bystanders viewing Saturday's 45-minute parade seemed to have a firm grasp on the celebration of the life of King and Tuesday's inauguration of the first black United States president in Barack Obama.

Keith Jackson, a social studies teacher at Plant City High School and his wife Karen, who teaches at Dover Elementary School, were pleased with the parade.

"This is not and should not be a celebration by people only in the black community," Keith Jackson said. "King's dream that people of all colors would come together in friendship and love is a dream we must all strive for and seek to achieve."

Alicia Hicks, also a teacher at the local high school, has attended many of the annual parades celebrating the slain civil rights leader.

"It is significant that so soon after the national celebration of Dr. King's legacy that we will be swearing Barack Obama in as president," Hicks said. "There is an obvious correlation to the dream so beautifully stated by Dr. King. But they should be viewed as two separate and significant calls for celebration."

The parade was led by police motorcycles and squad cars with sirens blaring. A local high school Jr. ROTC honor guard carried the U.S. and state flags followed by officials and family members of the parade sponsor, the Improvement League of Plant City.

City officials, charitable organizations, churches, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, school bands and marching baton twirlers and majorettes were interspersed among floats and classic and sports cars.

Kenya Hall and Tee Hall, no relation but who have friends in the Valrico area, came to Plant City to celebrate with the community.

"This is our first time coming here. But it seemed right to be here today. The MLK parade and celebration is Like Dr. King's dream. They are made up of vision and hope; where human beings will treat each other with love and respect," Tee Hall said.

Kenya Hall said she enjoyed the parade because of the closeness and neighborhood feeling it gave her. Both agreed that Obama's inauguration adds a sweet flavor to the celebration of King and his dream.

"The MLK celebration stands by itself," Kenya Hall said. "But having Obama sworn in as the 44th president on Tuesday adds to the success of the civil rights movement in America. There is a spirit of change and new freedoms in our country. There is a new hope in the city, the state and the country."

The parade was part of the four day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Arts Festival

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