JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville honored the spirit and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday with the 43rd annual MLK Holiday Grand Parade.
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The parade continued a week of celebration that began Friday with the Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast and includes a week of service with volunteer projects in Duval, Clay and Nassau counties.
The theme for the 2024 parade was “Jacksonville: A City United Against Hate and Gun Violence,” a message that follows a racist attack on a local Dollar General store last year. That store in Grand Park just reopened last week, five months after the hate-fueled shooting left three people dead.
Monday’s parade, which drew thousands Downtown, stepped off at 10 a.m. from Parking Lot J at EverBank Stadium and traveled down Gator Bowl Boulevard, which then becomes Bay Street. The parade continued down Bay Street about 2 miles to the Prime Osborn Convention Center.
Young members of the Emanuel Missionary Baptist Church woke up bright and early to march in the parade.
“It is important for our children to make sure that they understand who Dr. King was and what he did, what his legacy is for, for Black people,” said Stephanie Write.
Veteran Richard Manning, who attended the parade for the first time Monday, said seeing people in harmony was the best part.
His message for the next generation: “Learn from the older generations’ mistakes. Believe in yourself like Martin Luther King did for all of us and anything you want to accomplish in life, you can accomplish.”
It’s expected to take about three hours for all of the floats, local marching bands, dance troupes and decorated vehicles to make the trip.
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The city’s MLK Day events continue Monday at the Prime Osborn after the parade.
From 11 a.m.-5 p.m., the MLK Day at the Prime features workshops, a drumline competition, food trucks, vendors, a book fair, a kids zone and much more.
The event is free and open to the public, but visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item.
Also on Monday, The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, which is typically closed on Mondays, will be open with free admission and programming in honor of Coretta Scott King and MLK Day.
The week of service continues through Saturday in partnership with AmeriCorps and the United Way of Northeast Florida.
The volunteer projects across three counties include home repairs, food distributions, RealSense neighborhood canvassing and much more.
Click here to sign up for a service project in your county.