Crowds braved snow and single-digit temperatures to celebrate the legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in far western Kentucky Monday.
Despite the frigid temperatures and more than an inch of fresh powder on the ground, a couple dozen officials and community members gathered to honor the memory of the Civil Rights leader in midtown Paducah Monday morning for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
All in attendance walked from McNabb Elementary School to the memorial dedicated to King. Charles Booker – the Louisville Democrat who heads the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives – walked with the group, and spoke at the memorial site.
“The fight for justice is not easy, and so even if it's raining – I know it was raining last year – if it's snowing, if the wind’s blowing, we're gonna keep pushing,” he said.
Local elected officials also participated in the proceedings. Paducah Mayor George Bray underlined his administration’s commitment to diversity.
“[Martin Luther King Jr.’s.] life has provided an example for all of us to follow in a couple of different areas, lifelong commitment in pursuit of a goal and, of course, standing up for what's right, no matter what,” Bray said. “Our community here in Paducah has made a lot of progress, but we are still on a long term journey. We are committed to fair and equitable outcomes in Paducah.”
Bray’s administration created the Paducah Diversity Advisory Board, which promotes ethical diversity in the city’s decisionmaking and staffing efforts, in 2021. The Paducah City Commission also committed to hiring a diversity specialist to work with the city’s Human Rights Commission last year.
McCracken County Judge-Executive Craig Clymer, in turn, spoke about unity.
“Dr. King was right: Treat people equally, treat people equally according to their character and according to their individual abilities and their individual abilities and needs, not according to some group identity due to the color of their skin,” the county official said. “Our only group identity is that we're all God's children.”
Later in the morning, more than 200 gathered at Paducah Tilghman High School for a Paducah-McCracken County NAACP luncheon programmed with speakers and performers.
Brian J. Arnold, senior pastor at First Baptist Church Paducah, gave the invocation. Local singer Jaelon Harris performed renditions of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” andSam Cooke’s Civil Rights anthem, “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Brothers Tim and Tom Donaldson took the stage for a performance of Common and John Legend’s “Glory,” from the movie “Selma.” Samuel “Snacks” Hawkins, a Paducah native poet, also performed two of his works in front of the audience.
Former NFL player and Paducah Tilghman grad George Wilson emceed the event. Wilson dreams of connecting western Kentuckians to build for the future.
“There were times in my football career from high school to college and to the NFL, where I was knocked down and I had to get up, when the highs were so high, and the lows were so crushing,” Wilson said. “As much as we are building for ourselves, we must create connecting bridges for others and hold Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream high and fertile and noble and active. It starts with me. It starts with you. It starts with all of us.”
A video message from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear introduced Booker, who used some of his remarks to comment on the ongoing legislative session. Booker spoke about a pair of bills lawmakers are weighing that would limit diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and policies at the state’s colleges and grade schools, comparing the actions on the state legislature’s floor to “The Twilight Zone.”
“It’s crazy in Frankfort, and you all know it’s crazy in Washington. So be clear, this is a fight. Racism is alive and well,” said the former state representative and U.S. Senate candidate. “We're on the right side of this battle, the fight for humanity, the fight for Kentucky, the fight for our families. We are on the right side of it, that arc [of history] is bending because we're pulling … but, as inevitable as we are, that is only true because we show up for the fight.”
The theme of “Living The Dream” set forth by King in his most iconic speech, was echoed time and again by speakers, including Booker, who believes King’s teachings call people to “deeper work.”
“We're here to celebrate the dream, the ministry that was in him, that was in so many others, that manifested through a movement that led to me being the youngest Black state legislator in Kentucky in nearly 90 years, that led to barriers breaking down,” Booker said. “We're here on purpose.”
The entire luncheon was recorded and streamed live by WPSD Local 6. It can be viewed on their Facebook page.
