Monday, Newberry will celebrate King, who Reeder says is the father of the civil rights movement that made it possible for Barack Obama to be elected president.
Martin Luther King day is Monday, the day before Obama will be sworn into office.
“(The back-to-back days are) really a coincidence,“ says Reeder. “But I always say things happen for a reason.“
In 1963, King marched to Washington, D.C. where he gave his famous “I Have a Dream“ speech, and called for a deeper-than-skin look at character rather than color.
A fulfillment of King’s call will happen Tuesday with the inauguration, says Reeder, and the day before, Newberrians can march locally in honor of King’s work at the annual march.
“It’s to celebrate a legend and a person who, if he hadn’t done the things he had done, we wouldn’t be where we are today as far as desegregation and civil rights,“ says Reeder.
Reeder took on the organization of Newberry’s annual MLK march back in 2002, creating an event that keeps the character of King’s march in the capital.
“They did a lot of singing as they marched...to Washington and other people joined in,“ says Reeder.
Similar to King’s trek, Reeder says anyone can join in Newberry’s march Monday. The walk that progresses from Caldwell Street to Main Street to College Street will also be accompanied by negro spiritual songs.
Participants will sing together without musical accompaniment.
Songs like “We Shall Overcome,“ and “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Roun“ are some examples of what may be sung, says Reeder.
From 2000 to 2001, there was no local King march. But Reeder knew many elderly residents were interested in participating and didn’t want to trek to the closest parade in Columbia.
“So I said, ‘Why don’t we do our own program right here in Newberry?’“ Reeder said.
The half-day event begins at Newberry’s Miller Chapel A.M.E. Church at 500 Caldwell St. Parade participants are asked to line up at 9:15 a.m.
The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. and anyone can join in at anytime on the route toward Bethlehem Baptist Church at 1501 College St.
At 10 a.m. at Bethlehem, the program will start.
Guest speaker is Reverend Larry Hill of Paw Creek, N.C.
The Newberry native’s accomplishments include addressing the NAACP national convention and being a guest on CNN’s Talk Back.
Like the parade, the program will include a lot of singing. It will end probably around 1 p.m., says Reeder, and close with a free lunch of hot dogs, chips and drinks.
Reeder says last year they had “just under 1,000“ and he expects more this year.
In prior years, the occasion filled Bethlehem Baptist to standing room only.
This year, “it’s definitely going to be people standing outside or standing around,“ he says.
OTHER MLK EVENTS
Shiloh A.M.E at 431 Shiloh St. in Prosperity will host a community-wide Martin Luther King celebration called “The Dream Lives On,“ Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Bishop Fredrick Calhoun James will give the keynote address and elected officials, church leaders and community choirs and organizations will be there.
Call Shiloh at 364-2063 for more information.
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