Apopka Remembers a Civil Rights King Today

7TH ANNUAL APOPKA MLK PARADE TODAY AT 2PM

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” - Martin Luther King

The most visible figure in the Civil Rights movement was Martin Luther King. Dr. King is honored across the country annually on the third Monday in January with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, the holiday falls close to his birthday.

As chief spokesman of the movement to end racial discrimination in state and federal laws in the 1950s and 1960s, King organized several marches and peaceful protests. In 1963, he organized the famous March on Washington, which was memorialized in 2013 by President Barack Obama on its 50th anniversary.

It was then that King delivered his famous "I Have A Dream" speech. A year later, on October 14, 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence

Tragically, on April 4, 1968 he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 39.

Posthumously, King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, and we observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day annually to honor his courageous work towards freedom and equality. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was erected in Washington, D.C. in 2011 with a sculpture and inscription that reads, "Out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope." The quote is from his "I Have A Dream" speech.

“That old law about 'an eye for an eye' leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing.” - Martin Luther King

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An Apopka Celebration Honoring Dr. King

The 7th Annual South Apopka Ministerial Alliance MLK Day parade will begin today at the VFW Post 519 South Central Avenue at 2pm and travel south down Marvin C. Zanders Boulevard, and turn west on 13th Street.

There are four grand marshalls – Ret. Captain Ken Wilson of the Orange County Sheriffs Office, Sister Ann Kindred, Rev. Gerard Moss of the St. Paul AME Church and Elder Shirley Sharpe-Terrell.

Glenn Allgood from WOKB 1680AM will be the Parade Commentator.

For the seventh straight year, the Apopka High School Band will perform along with 75 other entries.

The Parade Chairperson is Rev. Alexander Smith and the President of the South Apopka Ministerial Alliance is Hezekiah Bradford. Monique Morris is the Parade Coordinator.

Greg Jackson is hosting the South Apopka Ministerial Alliance MLK DAY Program at the John Bridges Community Center (445 West 13th Street Apopka, FL 32703) starting 3:00pm or immediately after the parade. The program will include short excerpts from Dr. King’s speeches,interesting facts about his life and an awards ceremony. Jackson is the Orange County District 2 Representative for the Board of Zoning Adjustment is currently running for State Representative District 45.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an important time to reflect on the journey our nation has taken towards freedom and equality, and to look at the work that still lies ahead.

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” -

Martin Luther King

On this day in Apopka, throughout Central Florida and across the nation, his dream is honored.