On Monday, people gathered outside of the courthouse and marched to the Alabama Veteran’s Museum and Archives in honor of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Once they arrived at the Veterans Museum, the 18th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Program commenced, emceed by Dallas Parker.
The program was held for the “one who gave his life for freedom, for equality, and justice for all people. One who preached in Montgomery, Alabama, and marched from Selma to Montgomery to help achieve the voting rights for all Americans,” Limestone NAACP President Wilbert Woodruff opened saying.
“This is a beautiful day in the City of Athens, a beautiful day for America in which we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,” Woodruff said.
Parker echoed him saying, “it’s beautiful to see all of these faces in this room from all different ages and walks of life. This is a beautiful experience.”
Acharya Sriram Kannam with the Hindu Cultural Center of North Alabama led the opening prayer.
“Let us all remember the unjust, the unrighteousness that was corrected by Dr. King,” said Dr. Divya Pradhan, Executive Committee President of the Hindu Cultural Center of North Alabama.
The presentation of colors by the Athens High School JROTC directly followed. The Wallace Sisters from Lexington, Kentucky, led the national anthem, as well as two additional songs throughout the course of the program.
Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks and Limestone County NAACP President Wilbert Woodruff gave comments during the program, as well as Alabama NAACP President Benard Simelton.
The closing prayer was given by Minister Mildred L. Horton.
The Limestone Legislative Delegation, ALC-Family Resource Center, Mayor and Mrs. Ronnie Marks, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley McCrary, Mr. and Mrs. Benard Simelton, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert Woodruff, Mr. and Mrs. Hanu Karlapalem, and the Athens Mayor’s Youth Commission sponsored the event.
16 students were presented with awards for essays and art they created in honor of MLK.
“To see these young people up here today makes me so proud,” Marks said. “The most persistent question that we have is what are you doing for others? What are you doing to help us fight injustice? It takes all of us.”
The results of the MLK essay and art contests were as follows:
Essay winners:
Grades 2-3
1st: Meher Makhija, Athens Renaissance
Grades 4-5
1st: Easton Gough, Sugar Creek Elementary
2nd: Reese Wagner, Athens Intermediate School
3rd: Chyanne Jarmon, Athens Intermediate School
Grades 6-8 1st: Korin Jones, East Limestone High School
2nd: Laney Gough, West Limestone High School
3rd: Blair Hammock, Elkmont High School
Grades 9-121st: Christina Jones, Athens High School
2nd: Hyoju Park, East Limestone High School
3rd: Roman Mathis, Athens Renaissance
Art winners:
Grades 2-5: 1st: Ansley Murphy, Athens Intermediate School
2nd: Reese Wagner, Athens Intermediate School
3rd: Mila Moore, Athens Renaissance
Grades 6-12:
1st: Emma Lovell, Athens Bible School
2nd: Carolina Wagner, Athens Middle School
3rd: Leon Benefield, Athens High School