Annual Martin Luther King Jr. unity parade celebrating legacy draws over 100 Modesto locals
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
During his too-short lifetime, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for racial equity and justice, cementing himself as one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and ’60s.
On Monday, the national holiday honoring King, his legacy was celebrated in Modesto with the second annual MLK Unity March.
A collaboration between the city and Silver Square Lodge 66, the parade started at the King-Kennedy Memorial Center. Around 100 participants of various ages and backgrounds walked in a cool breeze. The air on what was the 95th anniversary of King’s birth was filled with chatter and laughter.
Cierra Darden recently moved to Modesto and is part of the Legacy Alliance Outreach, a local nonprofit organization. She decided to join the parade to get better acquainted with the community.
“It’s really unified here than what I’ve seen on the East Coast, and that makes me really happy,” she said.
Modesto can look forward to another MLK event during Black History Month in February.
On Feb. 10, the Modesto Peace/Life Center will hold its annual observance. This year, it will feature civil rights attorney Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. She served as counsel to former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The event will be at 7 p.m. in the auditorium on the Modesto Junior College East Campus, 435 College Ave.
