Generations, races unite in S.F. to pay tribute to King’s legacy
Erika Morris rolled out of bed Monday morning with “We Shall Overcome” playing in her head. Before long, the gospel song was blasting throughout the San Francisco home of the 14-year-old and her family — lyrical fuel for the holiday march and celebration of civil rights pioneer the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“We shall overcome, some day. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome, some day.”
Erika joined thousands of people coming from the Caltrain station at Fourth and King streets on their way to Yerba Buena Gardens to commemorate the birthday and legacy of King, who was assassinated 50 years ago. On Monday, Erika marched with her 8-year-old cousin, 5-year-old sister and grandmother.
“Martin Luther King Jr. gave me the opportunity to actually go to this school, to be with my classmates and not be secluded because of my race,” said Erika, a student at St. Ignatius College
Preparatory in San Francisco. “We are here today to celebrate the person who gave us all these opportunities.”
While some marchers broke into unified chants — “2-4-6-8, who do we appreciate? Justice!” — others broke into song, summoning the same lyrics Erika and her family had heard at home.
The march marked the first political act in the life of Erika’s sister, Eboni, who smiled as she joined in the singing while skipping beside her big sister.
“We gave (my sister) a little history in the car about how good we have it today, not like my grandmother had it back then in Louisiana,” Erika said.
Standing off to the side of the celebration as Erika and her family passed was Iza Vejah, 55, of San Francisco, who played King’s “I Have a Dream” speech from a small speaker. Though it was drowned out by the massive foot traffic and chants, Vejah said she started her own tradition five years ago by playing the speech at each march, which for 33 years has been preceded by a South Bay train transporting hundreds of people up to San Francisco.
“I do this every year to remind people why we are here and to not forget,” Vejah said. “It’s not a black or white thing, it’s a civil rights thing.”
Monday’s march came to an end at Yerba Buena Gardens, where people spread out blankets on the grass while others crowded near a stage to hear from interfaith leaders and elected officials.
London Breed, San Francisco’s acting mayor, struck a defiant tone on President Trump’s immigration policies when addressing the crowd.
“Thank God San Francisco is a sanctuary city, so we don’t care what they say in Washington, D.C.,” she said. “We are going to follow in Dr. King’s legacy. We are going to be a sanctuary city. We are going to continue to be a place of tolerance. We are going to continue to be a place of inclusiveness.”
Throughout the event, participants held signs that called attention to various causes, including homelessness, access to health care, housing equality and police brutality. More than a few shirts could be found bearing the famous King quote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Nikki Brueggeman, 27, of San Francisco, said she felt compelled to march due to political tensions that have increased since Trump was elected. She has participated in civil rights and Black Lives Matter protests before, she said, but this was her first time marching on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which became a federal holiday in 1983.
“I’m getting tired of having to explain to my government that we deserve freedom from fear as a community, that we deserve equal access to voting and that we deserve equal rights,” Brueggeman said. “I feel this administration has not been listening.”
Like Brueggeman, it was also Kenneth Ryan’s first time participating in the King Day march. It took him nearly three hours to arrive at the San Francisco Caltrain station from his home in Stockton, he said, but the drive was worth it.
Ryan, 60, stood smiling among his friends and held a sign with a photo of King and the caption, “AIDS is a civil rights issue.”
“I’ve been smiling since I got here,” said Ryan, looking out at the crowd. “This is like history for me.”
The march’s message of unity, love and peace rang loud and clear, he added.
“This is unique,” Ryan said. “Everyone is coming together — every nationality. We are all fighting for the same cause. We all want the same thing.”