The Daily News

A tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations began in Washington Parish Monday with a parade and program in Angie.

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Parade participants braved cold weather to take part in the fourth annual parade, which contained cars, trucks, ATVs, horses and a school bus full of Angie Junior High students. The march-portion of the parade was cancelled due to the weather, but area residents still gathered along the street for a chance at catching candy and cups.

A celebration at Wesley Ray Elementary School followed the parade, organized by the Concerned Citizens organization of the Angie-Varnado area. 2008 King Lonnie Lewis and Queen Jessie N. Peters rode in cars at the head of the parade and received seats of honor during celebration at Wesley Ray. Kelvin May, a Bogalusa attorney originally from Varnado, was the keynote speaker, delivering a message of keeping the dream alive.

Community members are invited to participate in the Bogalusa Voters League's annual tribute to the late civil rights leader on Monday.

The annual celebration gets under way at 1 p.m. with a celebratory public march. The march will begin at the Voters League, located at the intersection of North Avenue and MLK Drive, and continue Ebenezer Baptist Church, at the intersection of Church and Poplar streets.

Grand marshal for the parade is Robert Hicks. Hicks was active in the civil rights movement in Bogalusa and was an active participant in the Deacons for Defense.

A stop at City Hall is included on the march route, where participants will receive remarks from city officials.

At approximately 3 p.m., an observance program will begin and will feature Rev. Marcus Rosa of Westside Emmanuel Baptist Church as the keynote speaker.

Rosa is a 2004 graduate of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with a BA in pastoral ministries and a minor in Christian education. He came to Bogalusa and Emmanuel in July 2004 and has been an active leader in the restoration of the community following Hurricane Katrina.

"I count it a privilege and honor to have been invited by the Voters League to be the featured speaker for the observance, especially considering that (to my knowledge) this is the first time the guest speaker has not been an African American," Rosa said.

"Our city has been separated by the great wall of racism for decades ... perhaps this will be one small step towards bridging the gap ... hopefully one of many more to come."

The public is invited to participate in the march and the program at Ebenezer.

For more information, contact Voters League president Marvin Austin at 732-1867, secretary Celeste Young at 735-5361 or vice president Melvin C. Abram at 750-5526.