Denton march honors 25th Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

by Nicole Balderas of North Texas Daily

The UNT Multicultural Center and the Alpha Kappa Alpha fraternity hosted the event.

Photo by Jordan Shedd

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, students marched three miles from the University Union to the MLK Jr. Recreation Center on 1300 Wilson St. The City of Denton and Alpha Kappa Alpha fraternity sponsored the event.

People of all ethnicities gathered and marched Monday afternoon to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in observance of the 25th national holiday in his honor.

The celebration began at 3 p.m. around the free speech area behind the UNT University Union and was followed by a three-mile march to the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, where there was dinner and a program for the whole Denton community to attend.

“Martin Luther King is who we aren’t and what we need to be,” said Forest Turner, an English literature junior.

Turner is the president of the Phi Gamma chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and avidly celebrates Martin Luther King Day. He kicked off the march asking the crowd to take a knee as he said a prayer of thanks, followed by a brief speech.

“I’m glad there are people of non African American descent here. There is a misconception about Martin Luther King Day, but what he wanted was equality among all [races],” Turner said.

Turner also spoke of King’s theory of nonviolence, which he adopted from Ghandi.

“How many can embrace non-violence? Not many, but it’s something we should aspire for,” Turner said.

Photo by Jordan Shedd

Students gather around Forest Turner, an English literature senior, for a prayer before the Martin Luther King Day march Monday afternoon.

Twin sisters Jessica Price, a business junior, and Jazmine Price, a psychology junior, sang the black national anthem, along with many enthusiastic members of the audience who joined in.

Turner blessed the march once more before the crowd began their trek. Free bus transportation was provided for tired marchers to come back to the UNT campus after the program.

The UNT Multicultural Center and the Alpha Kappa Alpha fraternity hosted the event.

“The time is now,” said Cheylon Brown, director of the UNT Multicultural Center, quoting King. “We can’t wait. If we don’t make a change, things will get worse, but if we get together, we can make a change.”

The annual event brings to the UNT campus a sense of diversity that has grown since its start, Brown said.

“It used to just be a candlelight vigil at the torn down pavilion and a presentation in the Lyceum,” said Brown, who remembers coming to the event as a UNT student.

The MLK Day of Service will be celebrated Jan. 19 on the UNT campus since it was closed on Monday in observance of the holiday.

Portraits of King and his famous “I Have a Dream” speech from Aug. 28, 1963 will be on display today at the Discovery Park campus and in the Union on Jan. 21.