Photo By Kristen Wong | HONOLULU — Telepharoah Brandon, a member of Sewa Faré, a West African Dance and...... read more read more
HONOLULU — On Sept. 17, 1959, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. paid the first of two visits to the new state of Hawaii, addressing the first legislature of the state House of Representatives, complimenting the state’s unified community.
“I come to you with a great deal of appreciation and great feeling of appreciation, I should say, for what has been accomplished in this beautiful setting and in this beautiful state of our union,” he said. “As I think of the struggle that we are engaged in, in the south land, we look to you for inspiration and as a noble example, where you have already accomplished in the area of racial harmony and racial justice what we are struggling to accomplish in other sections of the country…”
Hawaii community members continue to pursue racial harmony with the reminder of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade and Unity Rally that took place Monday. Coordinated by the Hawaii Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition, the parade ran from Ala Moana Beach Park’s Magic Island to Kapiolani Park.
The Parade
Members of 80 different organizations, including the Hawaii State Teachers Association, United Public Workers and the Royal Hawaiian Band, marched down Kalakaua Avenue.
Coalition secretary Juliet Begley said each year approximately 4,000 people participate in the parade, and 2,000 participate in the rally. The nonprofit uses funds raised by the rally to support next year’s parade.
The U.S. Army was represented in the parade’s joint color guard, and the 25th Infantry Division Band performed during the parade.
“Branches of the military participate every year, and we are grateful for their participation,” Begley said.
Former collation president Marsha Joyner said the Army band participates in the parade every year. She added that the coalition no longer has to request participation as Army leadership made it an annual event for the band.
Honolulu resident Ramon Brockington found out about the parade through social media and decided to come out for the first time.
“Just with the stuff that’s going on in the news, I thought it would be a good time to come out and watch the parade and take a few pictures,” he said. “I just hope that with the future presidency and what’s going on in the U.S. things will improve.”
Honolulu resident Roger Izuka brought an American flag to wave as parade participants walked past.
“Fifty-three years ago, he made the speech, “I have a dream,” Izuka said. “We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way more to go. (There is) too much violence. It was good to see everybody come out. I try to come to all the parades, but I really wanted to come this year. You can have a holiday, but if you don’t remember the reason for the holiday it doesn’t work.”
Izuka commented that it was good to see all the children attending as well, showing support from the “next generation.”
Unity
Attendees at the unity rally partook in local food items, such as huli huli chicken and shave ice, as well as soul food like barbecue ribs, catfish and beef brisket.
People gathered at the Kapiolani Bandstand to dance, listen to music and watch several performances.
The main message of the parade and rally Joyner wanted to stress was unity.
“Nowhere else in the world would you get this,” said Joyner, commenting on the groups banding together for the parade. “It was wonderful, absolutely beautiful.”
The Honolulu resident, who has participated in every parade, was one of the initial five African American girls to be integrated into Baltimore’s all-white Western High School, in 1954.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The parade and holiday served as a reminder of one man’s legacy.
King was born Jan. 15, 1929, to Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams. Ordained as a minister in 1948, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient was involved in protests like the Montgomery bus boycott and Birmingham demonstrations, and he gained worldwide recognition, respect and, in some cases, animosity for his leadership role. On April 4, 1968, King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.
For more about King, check out "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.," edited by Clayborne Carson.
The Coalition
Locally, the Hawaii Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition began as the State of Hawaii Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, which was active from 1989 to 1995. In 1995 the coalition became a nonprofit organization, and now dedicates itself to celebrating the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday through various activities.
| Date Taken: | 01.18.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 01.18.2017 21:40 |
| Story ID: | 220618 |
| Location: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 173 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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