Morning parade honors MLK's memory

photo by Adam Brimer

KNS photographer Adam Brimer and myself checked out the parade today honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Very nicely done.

Each year, the folks over at the Oak Ridge Environmental Alliance make larger-than-life paper-mache figures. Today's parade, which is actually the 26th annual event hosted by the MLK Commemorative Commission, featured for the first time the likeness of Sarah Moore Greene (pictured above), the long-time Knoxville civil rights leader and local educator who recently passed away.

photo by Adam Brimer

 In addition and pictured to the left, her friend of more than 60 years, Ruth Sharp Benn, who also had a distinguished career as an educator, took her place as grand marshal of the parade.

Overall, more than 150 organizations and more than 1,000 folks marched in the hour-long parade that also include recordings of King's speeches.

The event stared near Tabernacle Baptist Church and ended at Greater Warner Tabernacle AME Zion Church on the street that bears King's name. The parade was designed to honor the reverend and also show the diversity of the city.

photo by Adam Brimer

It featured a number of costumed stilt-walkers, some clowns and the aforementioned paper mache puppets, including King, Myles Horton and Rosa Parks, among others.

In addition, Smart Kids Learning Center was there. I mention them because I like this picture, the one to the right. Yes, that's some folks from the center, including student Mario Jarret, (He's the little kid.)

If you didn't make it, then check it out next year. In the meantime, right smack here, is a story about this morning's parade.