Page 36 - Florida Sentinel 1-15-16 Edition

Tribute To Dr. King
Residents Share Significance Of Dr. King Holiday
President Ronald Reagan is shown with Mrs. Coretta Scott King and others as he signed the bill into law on November 2, 1983.
SUPT. CHARLES DAVIS
MRS. DORIS CANNON
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
The quest to create a fed- eral holiday celebrating the life of a Civil Rights icon began on April 4, 1968. The idea of honoring the birth date, January 15th, of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.., was promoted by labor unions throughout the country.
Fifteen years passed be- fore then President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law on November 2, 1983. The first Dr. King Holiday, set to be observed on the third Monday of Jan- uary, took place in 1986.
Some residents shared their opinions about the sig- nificance of the King Holiday and how they celebrate.
More than a decade ago, Clarence Fort was instru- mental in bringing a band to Tampa to celebrate the King Holiday. This year, the process is continuing.
Fort said, “On the Satur- day before the parade, the band comes down to New Mount Zion Missionary Bap- tist Church and mingle with the kids. They also play in the parking lot beginning at noon on Saturday. This year, it will take place on January 16th.
“I actually march with the
MRS. CAROLYN COLLINS
CLARENCE FORT
band in the parade and then we go back to the hotel and talk about the significance of the holiday from their point of view,” he said.
Mrs. Carolyn Hep- burn Collins said, “I still celebrate the King Holiday and I will always celebrate it. I see it as another milestone in the Civil Rights Movement removing the vestiges of the Jim Crow era.
“I think it is important and I make the sacrifice to at- tend the breakfast. I’ve only missed two. It is important because Dr. King sacrificed his life for us.
“When I speak about it at gatherings, I use it as an op- portunity to educate others and inform them that there was a precursor to Dr. King. Harry Moore came 25 years before Dr. King and opened the doors for him.”
Superintendent Charles Davis, Senior Pas- tor of College Hill Church Of God In Christ said, “Yes, the King Holiday is very signifi- canttomeandIpauseinmy service to preach his mes- sage.
“I also encourage people to live by what Dr. King stood for so that his death will not have been in vain. On occasion, I have attended the breakfast and the parade.”
Superintendent Davis further said Dr. King’s fought for jobs and busi- nesses for African Americans and other minorities. “When- ever I got to another city, I notice that the street named in Dr. King’s honor usually runs through the Black neighborhoods.
“But, there are few Black businesses on the street and
that bothers me. Even in Tampa, Dr. King Blvd. runs from Dale Mabry to Plant City and there are only 4 or 5 viable Black businesses.
“I hope that one of the things the youth will do is to make sure they know what Dr. King did for us.”
Mrs. Doris Cannon
said, “Yes, I still celebrate Dr. King’s birthday because
it symbolizes a movement in history. It shows that al- though some say there is no solidarity among us, that it is and we are progressing.
“His life should be an ex- ample and important to let the kids know that you can if you think you can. We must all be involved in the process in order to make a differ- ence,” she said.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 15-C