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1st MLK Day parade set for Mon.

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com

Organizers of Fayette County’s first Martin Luther King Day parade admit they got a late start planning for the event, but remain optimistic that a diverse and enthusiastic crowd will turn out on the national holiday next Monday.

“I think we’re going to unify the community around the parade,” said the Rev. Ed Johnson, pastor of Flat Rock AME Church and president of the Fayette County NAACP branch, event sponsor.

“At least it’s a start. We only started planning in October,” Johnson said. “I’m just prayerful that the good Lord will keep this good weather around for us to enjoy come Monday.”

In past years, the King Day convocation at Starr’s Mill High School was been well-attended. When the decision was made to move the program to a more central location at F.A. Sams Auditorium in Fayetteville, it only made sense to add a parade, Johnson said.

“We wanted to give everybody a chance to be a part of the celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, and with a parade you can do that,” Johnson said.

“Our goal is to demonstrate to the Fayette County community a way to celebrate the MLK holiday in a purely public, open fashion. The Starr’s Mill convocation was open to the public, but it wasn’t very visible.”

The parade will step off Monday at 10 a.m. from the parking lot of Fayette County High School, then move east down LaFayette Avenue to Glynn Street (Ga, Highway 85), turn south one block to the Courthouse Square, then go west down Lanier Avenue (Ga. Highway 54) to Tiger Trail, ending back at the school.

The convocation will begin immediately following the parade. The 30-minute program will include a presentation by Sandy Creek High senior Alexandria Bennett, School Superintendent Dr. John DeCotis, and the debut performance of the new Fayette County Community Gospel Choir.

State Rep. Virgil Fludd of Tyrone and state Sen. Valencia Seay of Riverdale, has confirmed they’ll ride in the parade, Johnson said, as have the Fayette County Democratic Women and several school groups.

Eight of Fayette County’s historic African-American congregations have signed up, including Holly Grove AME, Flat Rock AME, Edgefield Baptist, Bethlehem Baptist, New Hope United Methodist, Flipper Chapel AME and Olivet Baptist.

Add to the list tiny Mt. Olive Baptist Church, tucked away in the woods near the intersection of Graves and Gingercake roads, which may end up with the parade’s biggest float built on the bed of a 72-foot tractor trailer.

“We opened it to all the churches in Fayette County, but none of the large white congregations are participating,” Johnson said. “But I’m going to get letters out to the pastors early to encourage them to join next year.”

The same holds for the invitations to area high school marching bands. “Unfortunately, the late invitations prevented any of the local high school bands from participating this year,” Johnson confessed. “But we have over 200 people who’ve indicated they will participate in some way, so that’s good.”

The NAACP chapter invited Fayette County resident Evander Holyfield to be grand marshal, but as of this week they were still waiting for the heavyweight champion to confirm.

Johnson said he isn’t discouraged by the seeming lack of commitment shown to the inaugural parade so far, since the size of the event isn’t what’s important.

“We just want this to be a catalyst to stimulate community fellowship, a chance to start building relationships with one another,” he said. “We all have our differences, and getting to understand each other and work together is how we’ll solve our problems.”