Thousands march in Marade
Ralph Green lost his left leg in a Brooklyn, N.Y., drive-by shooting when he was 15 years old, but that didn’t stop him from traversing three miles on crutches during the Martin Luther King Jr. Marade on Monday.
“It’s definitely important to be here. We’re remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Green, 42. “We’re here to promote awareness of equality.”
Green was one of tens of thousands of people who participated in Denver’s 35th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Marade. Marchers sang and waved placards as they wound their way down Colfax Avenue. Some people rode in motorized wheelchairs and many elderly people and small children joined in as well.
A full day of events began at City Park where dignitaries including Denver Mayor Michael Hancock spoke and prayed.
If it hadn’t been for King, Hancock said, he never would have made it out of his childhood home in the Five Points neighborhood to become mayor.
“Act like you’re heirs of the great dream,” implored Hancock, who said he was inspired by and a beneficiary of King’s life and actions. “He stood in the gap for me. He stood in the gap for you.”
The program began near the “I Have a Dream” monument in City Park. Flowers encircled a small sitting area for speakers, pastors and politicians at the park. The purple carnations recalled King’s favorite color. Tiny white flowers represented peace, said Shyretta Hudnall, a member of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission.
Lisa Ward tirelessly held a large poster of King above her head as she listened to speeches. She also wore a T-shirt emblazoned with King’s image. She was surrounded by family members and friends.
“I feel joyful,” Ward, of Denver, said. “We all came together,”
Aditi Ramaswami held up a placard that said Asian Communities Together. King represented all people, she said.
“It wasn’t just for civil rights for black people. It was for the civil rights for all people who claim this country as theirs,” Ramaswami said.
The crowd included several people carrying campaign signs for various political candidates. Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, national campaign chairman for Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, attended the City Park program.
“We’re campaigning in a lot of states that other Democratic candidates are not,” Nutter said.
The Marade proceeded to Civic Center, where a concluding program featured several people singing, dancing and giving speeches.
Before Eldrin Bell, the former police chief of Atlanta, gave the keynote address, his son, Justin Guarini, who came in second place behind superstar Kelly Clarkson in the debut American Idol in 2002, sang.
Guarini said that his father is one of the “old guard” who fought for civil rights in King’s time.
“It’s obviously important to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. But I’m also here to celebrate the legacy of my father,” Guarini said.
When he spoke, Bell recalled an important experience in his life.
Shortly after King was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968, Bell, then a young police officer, guarded King’s body so it wouldn’t be desecrated. Over a span of 12 hours in an Atlanta cemetery Bell had a lot to say to King, he said. Though King could not reply, Bell spoke to him through the night.
Bell had a strong message for the audience that spilled across Civic Center. He mentioned the high dropout rate for African-American high school students. A huge percentage of dropouts end up in jail at a young age, he said.
He urged attendees to be active parents and grandparents so that they can help ensure that teens stay in school and excel in life.
Following his law enforcement career, Bell said he became a pastor. The former police chief said he had gotten tired of keeping people in jail.
“Now I’m trying to keep them out of hell,” he said.