2008 Woodie Awards
March Honors King's Legacy
MLK march: 'Many voices, one city'
Daniel Potter
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: News
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The crowd marched from Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church to the Gentry Center on the campus of Tennessee State University. Mayor Karl Dean and Rep. Jim Cooper gave speeches there at noon.
"This is one of the great holidays of the year," Dean said. "Dr. King's dream is still our dream." King advanced "the sublime notion of democratization and equality," Dean said.
Many political organizations and agendas were present throughout the event.
Before the main march, for which police closed off traffic in the area that morning, numerous smaller marches converged at the church, which is located at the intersection of Jefferson Street and 28th Avenue.
There, various singers and groups performed, including a group of mimes, before a speaker read King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
Meanwhile, inside the church was a screening of the film "Uncounted-The New Math of American Elections," a documentary about election fraud.
The coming election was clearly on the minds of many present, with some carrying signs or wearing stickers in support of Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate running on a platform of unity and change.
Angie Watson, who was handing out stickers, said she supports Obama out of concern for healthcare.
Still, "everyone out here has the right to vote for whoever they choose," she said.
Many also showed support for Obama's chief Democratic rival, Senator Hillary Clinton. Republican candidates seemed to garner less attention, but at least one Ron Paul supporter was distributing information.
In addition to handing out information about candidates, some activists handed out flyers reminding voters about the Tennessee state primary, Feb. 5.
Beyond the election, marchers demonstrated support for a wide variety of causes, including the Green party, labor, transfolk and immigration. Others had signs and flyers demonstrating opposition to such things as the war in Iraq, capital punishment and taxes on food.
The agitation for disparate political causes did not stop at the end of the march.
Various local organizations set up tables in the Gentry Center to distribute literature and advocate their respective causes to passers-by. At least one was equipped to register new voters.
Several speakers during the convocation also took the opportunity to push their politics.
Reverend Edward Thompson, the president elect of the Interdenominational Minister's Fellowship, attacked the education system, "an unneeded war" and candidates touting "the experience card," a clear jab at Clinton for her criticism of Obama.
"I think the challenge of this generation will be not only civil rights but economic opportunity," said Congressman Cooper, speaking the same day numerous global economic indexes suffered dramatic losses due to fear of a U.S. recession.
In addition to the many political causes represented, a few street vendors were present, selling cotton candy, as well as King T-shirts reading "1929 - 1968."
Despite the many different causes and goals represented throughout the day, the celebration of King's legacy remained the unifying element of the march. One homemade sign summed that spirit up: "Many voices, one city."
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