King holiday filled with march, speeches, gospel

People in Gainesville, and all over the country, will honor and celebrate the life and legacy of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday.

Observed as a federal holiday on the third Monday in January since 1986, the King Holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. King was born on Jan. 15, 1929.

Local King Holiday activities will begin at 11 a.m. on Monday wit the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida's Hall of Fame Award Enshrinement Program at the MLK Memorial Gardens, 200 E. University Ave. This year's honoree is the late U.S. District Court Judge Stephan P. Mickle, who was a pioneer in the local judicial community as he was the first Black judge to hold several judicial positions: Alachua County judge, circuit court judge in the Eighth Judicial Circuit and U.S. District judge for the Northern District of Florida. Mickle, who died on Jan. 26 of last year, is being inducted into the hall of fame posthumously.

The theme this year for King Celebration activities is: “These are Troubled Times: We are Still Fighting.”

The King Celebration Annual Commemorative March will be held at noon Monday with marchers holding signs and singing freedom songs as they walk from the MLK Memorial Gardens to Citizen’s Field, 1100 NE 14th St. The march is a symbol of what King and countless others did as they risked their lives countless times marching for freedom, justice and equality for all, said Rodney J. Long, founder and president of the King Commission, adding that masking and social distancing will be encouraged during activities.

“This is an opportunity for young people to participate in the march,” Long said.

The march will be followed by the National Holiday Kick-off Program at 1 p.m. at Citizen’s Field, 1100 NE 14th St. The keynote speech will be given by the Edna M. Hart Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Award Recipient Gabrielle Gregory, a senior at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School. The award recognizes academic achievement, civic involvement and leadership. Gregory says the award gives her an opportunity to speak-up about racism, discrimination and police brutality.

Gregory said she has been looking at speeches King made over the years and connecting them to what is happening today. Her future plan is to attend the University of Florida to become a pediatrics physical therapist to work with kids who are underrepresented and “"work in communities where I’m needed.”

The National Holiday Gospel Program will be held at 2 p.m. at Citizens Field. The program will feature Helen Miller, a national gospel recording artist who is well-known for her award winning chart topping song, “I Won’t Let You Fall,” from her project, “Time is Winding Up.” According to the Thomasville Times-Enterprise newspaper in Thomasville, Ga., Miller was born to a family of gospel singers, raised in Boynton Beach and began singing in church at age 4. She resides in North Carolina.

The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor was started by his wife, Coretta Scott King, soon after her husband’s assassination in 1968. The King Memorial Center in Atlanta, which was founded in January 1969, sponsored the first annual observance of King's birthday.

*The National Holiday Kick-off Program will be held at 1 p.m. at Citizen’s Field, 1100 NE 14th St. Greetings will be offered by local, county and state officials..The keynote speech will be given by the Edna M. Hart Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Award Recipient Gabrielle Gregory, a senior at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School. The award recognizes academic achievement, civic involvement and leadership. Gregory says the award gives her an opportunity to speak-up about racism, discrimination and police brutality. Gregory said she will speak to the theme: “These are Troubled Times: We are Still Fighting.”

Gregory said she has been looking at speeches Dr. King made over the years and connecting them to what is happening today. Her future plan is to attend the UF to become a pediatrics physical therapist, work with kids who are underrepresented and “"work in communities where I’m needed.”

*The National Holiday Gospel Program will be held at 2 p.m. at Citizens Field, 1100 NE 14th St. The program will feature Helen Miller, a national gospel recording artist, well known for her award winning chart topping song, “I Won’t Let You Fall,” from her project, “Time is Winding Up.” According to the Thomasville Times-Enterprise newspaper in Thomasville, Ga., Miller was born to a family of gospel singer, raised in Boynton Beach, Fla., and began singing in church at age 4. She resides in North Carolina.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: MLK National Holiday locally to feature march, speeches and gospel music