Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. in Newberry

NEWBERRY COUNTY — The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations in Newberry will return this weekend with a parade on Sunday and a march and program on Monday.

The events, which are organized by the Newberry Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation, will start off with the Newberry Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Sunday, January 15, at 2:30 p.m., with lineup at 1 p.m.

“The parade route is from Calhoun to Main, down to the Newberry Opera House. They are going to close the streets about an hour before the parade,” said Newberry County Councilperson Travis Reeder, one of the organizers of the events. “We have about 15 entries right now, still time to sign up just call me at 803-537-9271.”

Reeder added that the parade will give everyone an opportunity to showcase their businesses, churches, organizations, etc.

“Also, it gets out of the norm of just a march and service, folks enjoy the engagement of the weekend,” said Newberry City Councilperson Carlton Kinard, another event organizer.

There is no cost to be a participant in the parade.

On Monday, January 16, there will be a march from Miller Chapel A.M.E. (on Caldwell Street) to Bethlehem Baptist Church (on College Street) beginning at 9:30 a.m. The march itself will go from Caldwell to Main to College, and once participants arrive, the program will begin at 10 a.m. at Bethlehem Baptist.

“The march represents the marches that Dr. King made during his time to help get rid of segregation,” Reeder said.

Kinard added that the march also allows young people to understand what took place during the Civil Rights movement during the 1960s. Reeder added that it shows how elders marched in formation and sang different African American spirituals during the marches.

“Gives young people an opportunity to know where they came from and know how they got to where they are now,” Reeder said.

During the march, pastors will lead those in attendance, as is tradition.

The march will be followed by the traditional program inside Bethlehem Baptist Church. Reeder said they will have Jeffrey Lampkin and the Francis Marion Choir performing during the program, as well as New Vision Choir and the Newberry Middle School Step Team. There will also be a praise dancing group.

This year’s speaker will be Reverend James Wesley Dennis III, senior pastor at Pine Grove A.M.E. Church in Columbia.

“He is a dynamic speaker; he originally was a children’s pastor at Pine Grove. I like him because he talks directly to the youth and we need someone today to talk to the youth because all of the difficulties going on in Newberry County,” Reeder said.

Dennis is the youngest pastor to serve Pine Grove in the church’s 148-year history.

Reeder added that he first heard Dennis speak while he attended Pine Grove, which is his brother’s church.

“I’m encouraging kids to come, but it will take the parents to get them there. I encourage all parents to have a day on, not a day off, and bring the whole family to celebrate, listen and learn,” he said.

Additionally, there will be a group catering the event for free following the church program, according to Reeder.

The day will not end after the church program, Kinard said, Newberry College will be involved with a community service event at the old Gallman High School (now known as Gallman Place). Kinard said Newberry College students will be involved to help clean up the old school.

“I’m encouraging everyone to come out. It’s a day on, not a day off. Make the community better and participate in the Gallman Place community cleanup,” he said.

The cleanup will begin at 1 p.m., tentatively, and if you’re interested in helping, you can reach Kinard at 803-271-3767 or email at ckinard@cityofnewberry.com.