On Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014, the national award-winning NAACP Garland Unit held a parade and march in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Trophy Nissan was proud to provide courtesy vehicles for the event, which is hosted annually to celebrate the life of one of the nation's most important civil rights leaders.
This year's 25th Annual MLK parade began near Embree Park and culminated at the Granville Arts Center, where a free commemorative program was held for event attendees and the public. The show included performances from the St. Luke AME Puppet Ministry and Garland's MLK Communitywide Youth Choir.
About Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
King was a central figure in the African-American Civil Rights Movement and is best known for his "I Have a Dream" speech, which was delivered at the 1963 March on Washington. Along with being a leader of the movement to advance civil rights for minorities, King had a larger vision of combating social and economic inequality for all Americans. Learn more interesting facts about Dr. King below.
- King entered Moorehouse College at the early age of 15 because he skipped grades 9 and 11 in high school. He earned his bachelor's in sociology at the age of 19.
- King's work was so important that he became the only non-president to receive a national holiday in his honor and a memorial at the National Mall in downtown Washington, D.C.
- King was a Nobel Peace Prize winner who advocated the implementation of nonviolent protests. He claimed this honor at the age of 35, making him the youngest man to receive the award. He donated all of the prize money ($54,123) to the civil rights movement.
- In America, there are over 900 streets that have been named after Dr. King, and this number continues to grow.
- Time Magazine named King Man of the Year in 1963, making him the first African-American to receive the title.
- Over nearly a decade, between 1957 and 1968, King spoke at more than 2,500 events and traveled over 6 million miles.
- He was arrested 30 times during his career and awarded over 50 honorary degrees from several universities and colleges.
- King convinced Nichelle Nichols, who played the character Uhura on Star Trek, to continue on with her role in the show after completing one season. Nichols stated that he told her not to leave because it was important for the nation to see a character who did not conform to the stereotypical representation of a black person. Rather, Uhura was portrayed as an equal to those around her and an intelligent member of her team.
- King was named after his father Michael, but around the time he turned five, the senior King changed his son's name to Martin Luther, in honor of the German monk and reformer.
- In 1971, King won a Grammy for having the Best Spoken Word Album, "Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam."