Last Monday on January 21, the city streets of St. Petersburg were flooded with onlookers from all walks of life to watch the 27th Annual MLK Parade, complete with floats and several marching bands, including the band from Seminole High School. Several clubs from USFSP marched in the procession including Student Government, the Juggling Club, the Black Student Association, the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, and the Sailing Club, who even brought one of their boats decorated in proud banners announcing who we were. Many of us came with signs bearing messages of love, peace and equality written in marker, some of them quotes from the man we were honoring. Decked in our school colors green and gold, students volunteering to march were treated to a breakfast smorgasbord at the Campus Grind before walking together to our starting point at Tropicana Field. I was the one with the rainbow of beads hanging off her USF bullhorns, though you might not have seen me marching with the gang. I fell about two or three groups behind looking for beads and unbroken candy on the street that hadn’t yet been passed to the kids watching the parade. Somehow, though, it was worth seeing the people, black and white, up close and side by side, sharing smiles and high fives and cheers with the sun shining in the clear blue sky (“Goooo Bulls!”). The way it should be. By the time we’d reached our end point in Vinoy Park, we were exhausted, sweaty, and our spirits (and appetites) couldn’t be higher.
My only regret was not having enough treats to pass out to everyone. They warned us not to give all of our beads away at once, but who on earth can say no to little kids?
As I walked away to find lunch at a place that had not closed for the event, I wondered. What would Dr. King think if he could see us now? The marches he led to D.C. were not simply in celebration, but in peaceful protest for civil rights for all. To be sure, we’ve come a long way from segregation, but there’s no denying that there is still work to be done. In fact, perhaps the march for civil rights never really ended? Even after this day, the march still goes on, and all are welcome to join.
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Photo found here: http://crowsneststpete.com/2012/01/24/marching-in-memory-of-martin-luther-king-jr/