Tifton march honors Dr. King

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Many locals of all ages participated in the annual MLK March and Parade Monday afternoon from the corner of South Central Avenue and 17th Street to the Tift County Courthouse. Latasha Everson/The Tifton Gazette

January 21, 2013

Tifton march honors Dr. King

Latasha Everson/The Tifton Gazette CNHI The Tifton Gazette Mon Jan 21, 2013, 11:31 PM EST

TIFTON — Local leaders, adults, teenagers and small children lined the streets Monday afternoon in decorated vehicles or walking on foot with posters to participate in the annual MLK March and Parade, presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The parade began at the corner of South Central Avenue and 17th Street and ended at the Tift County Courthouse on Second Street. Officers with the Tifton Police Department and the Tift County Sheriff’s Office led the group and helped with directing traffic.

As the parade came to an end, participants gathered on the steps of the courthouse to hear from local leaders.

Tifton Mayor Jamie Cater was pleased with the outcome of small children participating in the parade.

As he discussed the first two or three years when he marched in the parade and received “nasty” letters, he stated, “We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.”

Cater wished that more people of all races would have participated in the parade. He challenged everyone to bring at least two white people to next year’s parade.

He then introduced Tift County Commissioner Melissa Chevers, who he called his friend and confidant.

“We’re very close and we love each other,” he said, smiling.

Chevers stated that it was wonderful to see everyone there. She then made a challenge of her own. She challenged the crowd to join the NAACP. She also challenged local pastors and their members to join the organization.

“Don’t wait until you need NAACP,” Chevers said. “Go ahead and join now. This chapter is so important to this community.”

She added, “Thank you all for coming every year to support this great event. Dr. King would be proud.”

She noted that not as many people came out to this year’s parade as some of the ones in the past.

Vice Mayor Johnny Terrell was also pleased to see the great turnout in young participants. He said now is the time for them to learn the meaning of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He thanked High Hopes Child Development Center for coming out.

Tift County Commissioner Donnie Hester stated, “This is the day that the Lord has made.”

He told the story of a small boy who was born in 1953. He stated that the boy’s parents gave him what he needed, not what he wanted. He said the boy went to see a movie and had to sit upstairs and also wondered why he had to drink from a different water fountain.

Hester further explained that the boy’s mother told him about Dr. King and how he had a dream.

He then revealed that the boy is him. He stated, “When that boy grew up, he became a county commissioner.”

City Councilman Chris Parrott said this has been his second year participating in the parade.

“We are all one Tifton, as the mayor said many years ago, and we’re living proof of that today,” he stated.

Sharon Mathis with NAACP thanked everyone for coming out.

A festival was held after the parade at Mott-Litman gym. Fun activities included basketball, MLK trivia, games, free food and prizes.

To contact reporter Latasha Everson, call 382-4321.

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