Why the Juneteenth-MLK Parade is an 'opportunity for all Knoxvillians to unite'
Last January, members of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission were looking forward to a more normal series of events to celebrate Dr. King’s life and message, in comparison with the past two pandemic years.
But then came the ice storm.
At four decades old, the Commission had chosen the theme: “Forty Years of Not Turning Around: Continuing the Journey for Justice and Equality,” and the docket included a leadership/awards luncheon, interfaith prayer service, a community forum with the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance and the annual MLK Day Parade, followed by a gathering at Overcoming Believers Church (OBC) on Harriet Tubman Street.
All was going according to plan until an ice storm hit on the morning of MLK Day itself — Monday, Jan. 17 — the day of the parade. In the interest of everyone’s safety, the Commission canceled the event, though the memorial gathering at OBC did take place.
Five months later, the Commission in collaboration with the Beck Cultural Exchange Center Memorial Tribute will hold its annual MLK Day Parade in recognition of the Juneteenth Holiday — on Monday, June 20.
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In 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the recognition of Juneteenth — also known as Emancipation Day — as a federal holiday. It commemorates June 19, 1865 — the day that Union Army Major Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and told slaves of their emancipation, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.
Mabrey Duff, the Commission’s parade chairman for over 10 years, said, “We are celebrating the signing of the act, but in light of what has happened in the last weeks or so, I would think that the march would support the humanity of everyone who has a concern about life. In line with what Dr. King talked about in a lot of his speeches, we need to come together, and not only the African American community.
"This is a great opportunity for all Knoxvillians to unite, to show our disdain for the violence in our nation that has become too commonplace.” He quotes Dr. King: “Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends up defeating itself.”
Registration for the parade will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, June 20 at the Midway Chilhowee Park located at 3300 E. Magnolia Ave., directly off North Beaman Street parallel to Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. Lineup is 8:30-9:30 a.m. and step-off at 10 a.m.
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The parade route will proceed down MLK Jr. Boulevard and end at the Dr. Walter E. Hardy Park, where the Beck Culture Exchange Juneteenth Celebration will start at noon.
Parking is available at Chilhowee Park and the parking areas of Overcoming Believers Church, 211 Harriet Tubman Street, and Tabernacle Baptist Church, 2137 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. Shuttle service will run every 15 to 20 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
For more info, including preceding Juneteenth events on June 17-19, visit mlkKnoxville.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Juneteenth-MLK Parade to be held later this month in Knoxville
