Petersburg honors 50th anniverary of milestone in creation of MLK holiday
PETERSBURG — Everybody knows about the legend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but the keynote speaker at a ceremony Sunday said the civil-rights icon needs to be remembered not as a figure larger than life, but as a man serving his fellow man.
"View him as the man defined by conscience, not by destiny," retired Maj. Gen. Barrye Price told an overflow crowd at the Petersburg Public Library. "He was driven by conscience. Let's see if we can replicate that today."
On what would have been King's 94th birthday, Sunday's ceremony commemorated the 50th anniversary of Petersburg becoming the first city in the nation to recognize the day as a holiday, though technically, that decision was not reached until months after the birthday. At a meeting Aug. 7, 1973, Petersburg City Council voted 6-1 to approve the holiday annually beginning with Jan. 15, 1974.
Price framed his speech at the beginning by telling his audience that he was not going to focus on King the history-maker but instead King the human being. Someone who was as adept at shooting pool as he was at turning a phrase. Someone who stood only 5-feet-6 yet seemed like a giant. Someone with a wicked sense of humor, and as Price said, someone who "enjoyed a menthol cigarette and didn't mind dropping his ashes on the floor."
King netted many accolades during his career, including the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the third Black person and the second Black American to win that award. Yet, Price noted that the month before King was shot to death in 1968, a Gallup poll declared him to be the most hated person in America at the time. On the other side of the coin, the most liked person then was President Lyndon B. Johnson, followed in second place by segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace.
"Think of how far we've come," Price said. "It's like we've forgotten why they felt that way."
Even though he was considered the premier "drum major for justice" and advocate for the less-fortunate, Price noted King grew up in very comfortable environs, living in a multi-room house and having parents who both were college graduates. One of his biggest influences was his father, as Price recalled a story in which the elder King was stopped by an Atlanta police officer in 1935 for running a stop sign.
According to the story, the officer called the father "boy" when he first started addressing him. The elder King stopped him, pointed to young Martin who was sitting in the front seat and said, "This is a boy. I am a man."
"Those are some pretty big cojones that Daddy King had," Price said, drawing loud laughter.
Sunday's ceremony drew local and state lawmakers, as well as some who knew King.
Ninety-year-old Petersburg pastor Dr. Andrew J. White recalled driving King to what was then Byrd Airport in Richmond following one of his dozen or so appearances in Petersburg, saying King was "quiet" on the ride. Earlier in the ceremony, it was revealed that King's given name at birth was "Michael," but his father changed both his and his son's names after visiting Germany and studying the work of famous religious leader Martin Luther.
White made note of that history.
"If he was proud to be 'Martin Luther,'" White said, "then I'm proud to be 'Andrew Jackson.'"
More:'Like Mary and Martha entertaining Jesus': Family hosted Dr. King whenever he visited Petersburg
Honored during the ceremony was the last surviving member of the 1973 council that established the King holiday, 88-year-old Rev. Clyde Johnson. Johnson joined Mayor Hermanze Fauntleroy Jr. and councilors Florence Farley, Roy Hines, John Slate and John VanLandingham in voting favorably for the recognition.
Hines, the youngest person ever to serve on City Council at 25, was the driving force behind the holiday designation. He also was honored Sunday posthumously.
Ten years after Petersburg voted on the local King holiday, the U.S. government formally designated it as a national holiday. However, it was not until 17 years later, in 2000, when the day was recognized in all 50 states.
Sunday's ceremony also was part worship service. Petersburg singer Rodney Stith performed twice during the event. His second presentation was a medley of gospel songs that brought many in the library auditorium to their feet, clapping, singing and shouting praises.
As part of next month's Black History commemoration, it was announced at the ceremony that there are several activities planned in Petersburg: a gospel extravaganza Feb. 5; Black history trolley tours Feb. 9, 11 and 16; a Black authors' book-signing expo Feb. 11; and a Black history program Feb. 17.
Monday is the official recognition of the King holiday, which means local, state and federal offices will be closed. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine will speak at a 10 a.m. ceremony at Tabernacle Baptist Church on Halifax Street, then take part in a "Day of Service" event following the ceremony at the church.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg honors golden anniversary of King holiday in the city
