King’s influence is still pervasive today

In 1983, then-President Ronald Reagan signed a bill making the third Monday in January a Federal Holiday in celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Shortly thereafter, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Parade Club was formed in Linden. The club was formed by John Givens, John Holmes, Arthur Miller, Sr., and A. C. Williams, all of whom were local ministers.

Malthus Northcutt says the parade has been enthusiastically attended by the community. Unfortunately, as the original leadership moved on from the organization, there have occasionally been lapses in the performance of the organization of the parade. However, this year, the group is hoping to reverse that trend and are expecting a large spike in parade participation this year.

Dr. King was a man of faith who constantly exhibited behaviors, despite the plethora of abuses he encountered, that most would find difficult. Specifically, through his insistence on non-violent protests, he showed what “turn the other cheek” really meant. His influence is still pervasive in every community of the United States today.

Those who are under the age of 60 generally do not remember things like segregated schools, poll taxes, or even the overt discrimination practiced by public facilities such as hotels and restaurants and generally do not appreciate the concerns that King and his associates were working so hard to overcome in the late fifties and sixties. That is why this year the Linden Heritage Foundation is hosting a program during the annual membership meeting following the parade in the courtroom of the historic Cass County Courthouse. The program will discuss the impact of King’s leadership in the civil rights movement. The parade starts at noon, the meeting starts at one, and a reception with refreshments will follow.

This year’s Grand Marshall will be Billy Pruitt, a Linden native. He is a recently retired Dallas area high school band director. Pruitt helped jumpstart the parade initiative by having his bands participate in the event.