Macomb and Galesburg continued annual traditions to celebrate the life and legacy of the late civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Macomb’s march through the community
This year’s community march in Macomb in honor of Dr. King took people past a new piece of public art that celebrates a local civil rights leader.
The mural in the 200 block of East Carroll Street honors civil rights pioneer the Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian. He grew up in Macomb and worked alongside King during the American Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
“That mural is a testament to his work,” said Byron Oden-Shabazz, President of the McDonough County Branch of the NAACP.
Oden-Shabazz said Macomb’s march honors Vivian’s work as well as that of King. He said we should all try to live up to their legacies and strive for unity.
“That’s what this is all about. How do you bring people together with common causes, and to think of the greater good,” he said.
Macomb’s march went from the courthouse square to Mt. Calvary Church of God in Christ for a program celebrating King’s life and legacy.
Oden-Shabazz is also the founder and president of the C.T. Vivian Project of Macomb.
“I am literally just trying to keep alive his legacy and his work,” said Oden-Shabazz. “The mural is a testament and a reminder of who he is and what he did.”
The mountaintop
Since 1985, Galesburg leaders and residents have gathered to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a community breakfast.
City Manager Gerald Smith was the keynote speaker at this year’s event at First Lutheran Church.
Smith said growing up an orphan and suffering abuse and neglect at a young age, he was not aware of the civil rights movement as it was happening.
But he said somewhere inside him, he knew he would survive – and along his journey, he learned of Dr. King’s mountaintop.
“The mountaintop is a concept that’s discussed by a lot of people. It’s used as a metaphor for a lot of things. And one of my favorite metaphors that it’s used for is the destination,” Smith said.
Such as King’s dream that one day people would be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.
Smith said he had to overcome adversity and he struggled to fit into his own culture, but he found his way.
He also spoke of the struggles and sacrifices of civil rights leaders.
“I will tell you it doesn’t matter where you start off. Life is a race, but it doesn’t matter where you start. It matters how you make that journey and where you end up,” Smith said.
Local students were also honored at the breakfast for their essays on civil rights activist Diane Nash.
Prosper Aremu was awarded first place; Audriana Rodriguez second place; and Macie Jordan third place.
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