Video: West Point Residents March for MLK

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WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – Marchers have been taking to the streets of West Point in honor of Dr. King for 25 years now.

An organized peaceful march down main street in West Point, reminiscent of a time in our not so distant past when Negroes following the drum beat of Dr. Martin Luther King, fought for equal justice.

“Yeah, I participated in many of these marches back in the 60’s and the 70’s, so I think it is very important. This is one of the most essential thing that we have today, because Doctor King has done a lot for all of us,” said Louis Odneal, West Point Marcher.

“And its been 25 years since we’ve been doing this march and as old as I am I’ve continued to march every year since we started,” said Ungennette Brantley, MLK Marcher.

For years now come rain or shine, those faithful marchers have been starting at MLK Drive and East half Mile. They usually wind up at Mary Holmes College. Of late they’ve been winding up at Center Stage at Central School.

At Central School an assembly/type program focuses on educating younger citizens not yet born during the turbulent years of our past. At least for West Point High School Student Jasmine Sanders, Dr. King’s non-violent message is beginning to sink in.

“He fought for our rights and he fought for us to have a better chance in life. So if he didn’t do that we wouldn’t be able to do a lot of things today,” said Sanders.

Since the days of Dr. King, a Black president now occupies the White House. And according to some participating in the yearly observance, Dr. King’s dream is being viewed as an unfinished mission.

“Things are better and things are still the same. We still live in the United States of America. So we have an opportunity to change those things that are not better and work to improve our racial conditions in the United States,” said Brantley.

Guest speaker and former Mary Holmes College student body president Lester Moore stressed the importance of education in light of the future Yokohama Tire Plant locating in West Point.