Al, Nancy, and Pat, who met at the parade over a decade ago. Old-timers from Clearwater, they loved talking about what it was like in the “old days.”
There’s a chapter in Strangers Have the Best Candy entitled “In or out? The dilemma of every parade.” Although I marched in the Brunswick MLK Day parade a couple of years ago, this year, I chose to be on the sidewalk, photographing marchers in the Clearwater, Florida MLK Day parade. By sharing my pictures and stories, I am making their voices heard.
Al, Pat, and Nancy are three old-timers who met on a corner, watching the parade, 12 years ago. Every year since then, they look forward to meeting on the same corner and watching the parade. I listened to them talking about the way things used to be, here in Clearwater. In the 1950’s, Al was going to an all-black school near downtown Clearwater. Then the schools were integrated, and he went to Kennedy School, to the north, for the rest of his education. Nancy, who is white, sent her children to that same school.
On MLK Day, we can celebrate our accomplishments for equality, but we must not forget that there is still work to be done. We must not become complacent.
This Saturday, I’ll have my camera with me at the Women’s March in Washington D.C. I won’t stand for anything less than equality for women, the disabled, people of color, and the LGBTQ community.
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Since I took this photo, 4 days ago, I have driven on or past a street named after Martin Luther King in Clearwater, Tampa, Lakeland, and Fort Pierce.
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My favorite sign: “Never lose infinite hope.”
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This police aide was directing traffic. He told me he had marched in the parade in a previous year, and it was “a great honor.”
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Here comes the parade!
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Looking down MLK towards the parade.
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A couple of parade-watchers, waiting.
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Proud members of the NAACP.
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Friendly police officers.
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A reminder that this is MLK’s birthday.
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Next year, this woman is going to organize some cars or golf carts, so people who can’t walk the parade route can still be in it!
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Members of the UU church had powerful signs.
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A colorful (but rather white) band at the beginning of the parade.
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High school kids, marching in the parade.
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The Dunedin contingent in the Clearwater MLK parade.
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“Keeping the Dream Alive.”
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Marchers from the Clearwater UU congregation.
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The UU contingent always has great signs.
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A second band, near the end of the parade.
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Teens out of school for the holiday.
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I love these signs, crafted from many components.
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“Only love can do that.”
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“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
“There comes a time when SILENCE is BETRAYAL.”
“You have to keep MOVING FORWARD.”
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The dream lives on.
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The signs from the St. John M.B. Church reminded us what the event is all about.
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More parade marchers.
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Marchers in the parade, which didn’t have any vehicles.
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Kids in the parade.
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Waving parade marchers.
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Delta Sigma Theta members and alumni.
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Color-coordinated parade marchers.
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Listening to speakers at the rally.
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A couple of awesome strangers at the rally.
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The next generation is our future.
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At the rally.
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One of the rally vendors.
Two years ago, I marched in a Martin Luther King Day parade in Brunswick, Georgia, surrounded by African-Americans who are still fighting for their rights. You can find the photos, along with the article “Why I still march” on my former blog, mepsnbarry.com.
