Jonesboro, GA – The city of Jonesboro hosted a virtual parade on Monday, January 16, 2023, to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
The parade was organized by the Jonesboro City Hall and the Jonesboro Historical Society, with the support of the Northeast Arkansas Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. planning committee and other local organizations.
The parade featured floats, bands, dancers, and community members who participated virtually from their homes or workplaces. The parade also included speeches by local officials and leaders who shared their thoughts on King’s life and achievements.
The theme of the parade was “It Starts With Me”, which reflects King’s vision of nonviolence and social justice for all people.
The parade was broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube, as well as on local radio stations.
The parade was part of a week-long celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Jonesboro, which included a youth program, a service project at the A-State Food Pantry, a food drive at the NEA Food Bank, and a conversation on racial violence hosted by various groups.
The celebration also coincided with other events across Arkansas and the nation to mark King’s birthday on January 15th.
King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1929. He became involved in civil rights activism at an early age and led several protests against racial segregation and discrimination in his hometown. He founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957 to coordinate civil rights campaigns across the South.
King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington in 1963, where he called for an end to racism and injustice in America. He also advocated for economic justice for all people through his Poor People’s Campaign.
King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his efforts to combat racial inequality through nonviolent means. He was assassinated on April 4th, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, by James Earl Ray.
King is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in American history and a global icon of peace and human rights. His birthday is celebrated as a federal holiday in the United States since 1986.
