By By Janet Little Cooper
Monday, Jan. 15 will mark the 21st year that the day has been observed as a federal holiday in honor of the civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.
This years MLK Holiday celebration will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 with the annual unity prayer breakfast at Atmore Community Hospital. The breakfast sponsored by the Concerned Citizens of Atmore is a jumpstart to Monday's events.
The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. parade will begin the festivities Monday morning at 10 a.m. as the parade leaves the Houston-Avery Park enroute to its final destination of Gaines chapel AME Church. The parade will feature floats from local churches and organizations along with high school drill teams and ROTC programs. The parade will also feature the 2006 MLK king and queen.
A celebration service will be held immediately after the parade at Gaines Chapel AME Church on Carver Avenue. The keynote speaker will be councilman Fredrick Richardson of Mobile.
The service will also feature local entertainment as well food following the program.
If your organization, church or business would like to participate in the parade with a float, truck, car, marchers, clown, drill team or individual contact the Concerned Citizens MLK holiday center or Carver next to McCants Store or call Sandra Gray at 368-6023 or 368-5350 after 5 p.m., 368-2256, or 368-5924, after 3 p.m.
The Progressive Civic and Recreational Club is also sponsoring a 21st observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Sunday, Jan. 14 at Light house Apostolic Holiness Church at 95 Monroe Street in Atmore.
The program will begin at 3 p.m. and will feature a sermon by Bishop Robert Grissett, songs by the host church choir and congregational songs directed by Mr.W.J. Grissett.
A.M.E.Z. Church will have a Martin Luther King program on Sunday at 3 p.m. as well. Special speaker will be Claude Shuford from Mt. Zion A.M.E.Z in Montgomery.
MLK Parade Route
The parade line up will begin at 8 a.m. at Houston-Avery Park in Atmore. The parade will leave Houston-Avery Park at 10 a.m., traveling down MLK Drive to Carver Avenue. It will then turn right on Carver Avenue to Presley Street until reaching Church Street. The parade will then turn right on Church Street to Main Street. Turn right on Main Street traveling north to Ashley Street turning right and traveling east to Carver Avenue. Then turn left onto Carver Aver going to Gaines Chapel A.M.E. Church where the parade will end.