Natchitoches’ sixth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration March for Justice and Peace was held on Jan. 19. The march began at the Ben D. Johnson Center and proceeded to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Triangle Park. The marchers were led by NSU’s Alpha Phi Alpha chapter who carried a wreath to commemorate the memory of the civil rights leader.
Dr. Martin Luther King was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, joining as a graduate student in 1952 at Boston College. The Alphas were joined by brothers and sisters from NSU’s Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta Sigma Greek organizations as well as community members and civic leaders. Twenty-five students from the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts joined the march, something they have done each year the event has been held. They were joined by the coach and entire NSU volleyball team as well as several athletes, students and faculty from NCHS.
The march ended at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Triangle Park where in a solemnly moving ceremony the brothers of NSU’s Alpha Phi Alpha chapter placed a wreath at Dr. King’s memorial. After the ceremony, the marchers moved to the Martin Luther King Recreational Center for a commemorative program. Coach, teacher and pastor Rev. Kedrin Seastrunk delivered an insightful and moving keynote address. Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams Jr. was the final speaker, dismissing the crowd and inviting them to a delicious lunch of gumbo and taco soup courtesy of the Rockford Baptist Church.
The event was organized by the City of Natchitoches, NSU, and the Northwestern State University Gail Metoyer Jones Center. The Natchitoches City Marshal’s office and Police Department provided traffic control.
