 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
Back
|
‘To celebrate a great American’
By CHRISTINA HEADRICK © St. Petersburg Times, published January 16, 2001 CLEARWATER -- From babies in strollers to gray-haired grandmothers, people of all ages flooded Cleveland Street, marching through downtown with pictures of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. bobbing above their heads.
"King helped people who thought we were different know that if you didn't just look at skin color, that we were all the same," said Shaterica Davis, age 11. The sixth-grader at Kennedy Middle School marched with her family, as she has done for several years. Further along the parade route, Rose Brewton, 70, said she was "marching for the cause." "Blacks, whites, greens, purples -- everyone should be marching today because it's a great thing," said Brewton, who has lived here for about 50 years. "The day's about equality and togetherness, and hope for a better future." The downtown march, which included members of 26 local churches and other community groups, began at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex in North Greenwood and ended at Coachman Park with a midday rally. The smell of hot dogs and barbecue ribs filled the air. Mayor Brian Aungst, Pinellas County Commissioner Calvin Harris and other guests spoke from the city's park band shell, while families spread out blankets for picnics. Some kids played football or zoomed across park pathways on scooters. The Rev. Walter Campbell, the minister of Bayview Baptist Church, gave the keynote address, reminding the crowd how African-Americans were transported to America to be slaves and had to fight to rise out of their oppression. Campbell suggested there was still plenty to do to achieve racial equality in America. He ticked off a list of statistics, including that there are more black men in U.S. prisons than in colleges. "Each of us, in our own way, should feel free to tackle the problems facing our community," he said. "We may have come over on different ships, but now I'm here to tell you we're all in the same boat." The Clearwater Community Choir, a non-denominational chorus of people from several churches, sang a cappella gospel songs before and after Campbell spoke. "Lord keep my body strong, so that I can do no wrong," they sang. "Lord, give me grace to run this race. Lord, to build in thy name, in thy name." One of the singers was Christina Boyd, a 39-year-old nurse who also organizes a mentoring program for young girls through the local chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Boyd estimated that slightly more people turned out this year than last for King day events, which she was glad to see. "People want to get more involved and make sure government represents the people" in the wake of last fall's presidential election, Boyd said. The crowd included white faces, as well as black. Helen Acree, 55, who teaches horticulture at Calvin Hunsinger School for severely emotionally disturbed children in Clearwater, said she came out Monday to share the day with her co-workers who are black. "The other reason was I wanted to celebrate a great American," Acree said of King. Her friend, Gloria Barber, a 54-year-old teacher's assistant at Hunsinger, said she comes out every year for the King rally and parade because "problems still go on, but (racism) is just camouflaged now." Barber and others at Monday's events were annoyed that some people chatted, ate and allowed their children to run around at Coachman Park and not listen to rally speakers. The park sound system wasn't loud enough at times, she said. "I think some people tend to forget why we are here," Barber said. "I came here to listen to the message."
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
Headlines From the Times local news desks |
