Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembered as Villages Unite in Parade

By Amy Edel

The amazing surmounting of obstacles and steady dedication through all trials, accomplishments, and inspirational speeches of one of America's finest and most missed citizens were celebrated in a parade held on Monday, Jan. 19 which saw five different Villages unite as they marched to Hempstead High School.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The symbolic joining of the residents and mayors of these diverse communities was in its own humble way an attempt to honor a man who spoke so eloquently about the hope he shared with so many that one day we could all work together and see ourselves as one. The parade was coordinated by the Village of Hempstead and United People Organization Inc. and this was their fifth annual parade held in honor of Dr. King.

The parade began on the cold, crisp January morning at the former Doubleday building on Franklin Avenue in Garden City as Mayor Frank Tauches was on hand to contribute to the event. The parade then made its way down Franklin Avenue to Front Street and continued through the Village of Hempstead until it reached the high school. High school marching bands, fire departments, dancers, and local clergy from these five Villages provided entertainment and inspiration.

The event was initially created by Waymon Speight of Freeport, who formed the United People Organization Inc. to help increase awareness of the life and work of Dr. King and community participation in events celebrating that life and work. While the post office, banks, and schools are closed, sadly here on Long Island, little else is done in honor of the man who worked so hard to improve the quality of life for every American by teaching us to respect one another and to join together harmoniously as equal citizens of this country. Speight saw the lack of public opportunities to celebrate the occasion and the Village of Hempstead welcomed the opportunity to host the event. Villages like the Village of Garden City have shared in the spirit of the day and worked to make the annual parade a success and a reminder of the work yet to be done by all of us to keep the dream alive.