The 2018 Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration in Fayette County marked the 50-year anniversary of his assassination by James Earl Ray. But it is not his death that we celebrate, it is the legacy he left behind for guidance in making his dream come true: the dream that one day people will be able to walk together hand in hand regardless of race, color, creed, or sexual orientation.
Martin Luther King once said, “Put yourself in a state of mind where you say to yourself, ‘Here is an opportunity for me to celebrate like never before, my own power, my own ability to get myself to do whatever is necessary.”
Monday, Jan. 15, that is just what residents and guests of Fayette County did. They grasped the opportunity provided by the Fayette County School System and the Fayette County Branch of the NAACP to celebrate like never before. Residents witnessed the largest MLK parade to date and a standing room only crowd at the program in the Sams Auditorium immediately following the parade.
The Reverend Dr. William Holmes Robinson served as the grand marshal and the guest speaker. He was supported in the program by the Olivet Men’s choir and dancers from Reigning Victory Dance Studio. For those of you not in attendance, you missed an amazing anatomy lesson.
The history lesson delivered by Dr. Robinson on the connections of historical bones on which we stand will not be forgotten any time soon. Dr. Robinson is the pastor of the Olivet Baptist Church located in Fayetteville, the church members fondly refer to as the “Thrill on the Hill.” If you attended the program, you witnessed a small portion of the thrill.
K4C, a young, energetic, religious band out of Riverdale, kicked off the program with upbeat melodies that had the crowd on their feet singing, clapping and moving. Anyone who did not want to have a good time was in the wrong place if seated at the MLK program. It was not the normal MLK program; it was the MLK program on steroids. Everyone came to celebrate and celebrate they did.
School board representative Leonard Presberg served as master of ceremonies. Director of Special Projects Sam Sweat welcomed everyone to the event. Fayetteville Mayor Rev. Ed Johnson presented the Fayette Branch of the NAACP with proclamation recognizing what the celebration means to Fayetteville.
Other contributors to the program included Fayette County AJROTC, Rev. Dr. Constance Scott, Mrs. Alice Jones, and Reverend Dr. Augustus T. Curry, Esq. If you believe for one second that the youth were not represented in this program, you are sadly mistaken. In addition to the dancers and K4C, Fayette County NAACP Youth Council President Matthew Smith extended a greeting from the Youth Council.
The NAACP and the Fayette County School Board wish to thank all those who made the parade and program a great success, the parade entries and program sponsors: Piedmont Fayette Hospital, Georgia Power, Representative Derrick Jackson, Fayetteville City Councilman Richard Hoffman, Coweta-Fayette EMC, Fayette Democratic Committee, Regal Jewelers, Mr. Maurice Gilbert (Alphas of Fayette/Coweta County), Golden Partner dba McDonald’s Fayetteville, This Is It! BBQ & Seafood, and Mr. Lewis Butler. Without your support this would not have been possible.
Bonnie W. Williamson
NAACP Publicity & Communications
Fayetteville, Ga.
