In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of unity, communities join in a single remembrance of the late civil rights leader.
By LORRI HELFAND
Published January 16, 2004
LARGO - The city and neighboring Ridgecrest came together Thursday night to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The joint celebration marked a sharp contrast to last year's, when the communities decided to hold separate vigils to honor the slain civil rights leader.
"I am so glad the city has the whole community involved," community activist Rodney Woods said. "I think Dr. King would be proud."
On the nippy night, about 150 people came to Largo Central Park for the city's second annual vigil to honor King on the anniversary of his actual birthday. Folks in Ridgecrest's predominantly black community have honored King for about a decade.
Last year, city officials proposed a festival to honor King and invited Ridgecrest residents. But Ridgecrest, which has its own celebration, asked the city to join its event instead. Largo declined and each had separate events.
City employees had only a few days to whip up that event. This time around, they had about a year to plan.
County Commissioner Calvin Harris, who was master of ceremonies, reminded the crowd how much all human beings have in common.
"We all want the best for our families and our country," he said. "As we remember some of the mistakes of the past, we must learn from them."
Youngsters read passages from King's speeches and the crowd was serenaded by the spirited Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir.
Before the kids sang I Need You to Survive, choir director Letitia Bryant told the audience that King wanted people to realize how much they need to depend on each other.
"All the things (King) did for civil rights, he could not do in his own power. The most important thing he left us with was that unless we knew we couldn't do it without each other, we would not succeed," Bryant said.
At the close of the ceremony, Mayor Bob Jackson said there always will be intolerant individuals, but that Largo is working to honor King's message of peace and unity.
"We will still have misguided people and we will still have situations where the notion of racism raises its ugly head," he said.
Largo's history of racial insensitivity and events involving inappropriate comments by the city staff prompted officials to revise the city's internal harassment policy and select a committee to create a memorial to honor King.
"By this time next year, there will be a new home for this event in Central Park," Jackson said.
"I think it's wonderful," said Woods, a member of the memorial committee.
"I think the city is real serious with what it's doing."
