(Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

It was a chilly January morning on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but the freezing temperatures didn’t deter a crowd of community members from joining the 39th annual Tyler Together Race Relations March in downtown Tyler.

“It’s kind of one of those moments where you think about what our ancestors had suffered… the different types of weather they had to endure,” said Bishop Nickalous McGrew, president of the Tyler Together Race Relations organization. “With the camaraderie here, Tyler has always been about community and just togetherness, and I think that it’s evident of what’s happening right now.”

This year’s theme was “Mission Possible: Protect Freedom, Justice, & Democracy,” which organizers said highlighted the importance of unity, nonviolence, and collective action in fostering a more equitable society.

“MLK Day, to me, is a day of honor and we’re also commemorating the life of Dr. King provided to us through his gift of service to humanity,” McGrew said.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday of January each year to honor the civil rights leader’s birthday, which falls on Jan. 15. The holiday, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, was established as part of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which aimed to provide more three-day weekends for workers. The third Monday allows for a day of reflection on Dr. King’s enduring legacy in the fight for justice and equality. It has been recognized in all 50 states since 2000.

“I think that really just shows how much more we have to do, to continue — as (Dr. King) says — to be a drumbeat of love and unity,” McGrew said.

Dr. King’s mission for equality and human rights for all was supported through his peaceful protests. Whether he was marching through Washington D.C. for jobs and freedom, or marching from Selma to Montgomery to protest the racial injustice in the South, his commitment to nonviolence and civil rights inspired a nation. His marches in Alabama were pivotal in leading to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson to prohibit racial discrimination in voting.

“Tyler Together Race Relations has been stewarding this for at least over 20 years,” McGrew said. “And we’re just excited about commemorating the history of what our ancestors walked through and endured and sacrificed so that we as African Americans and minorities would have some of the rights and privileges.”

Dr. King continued his fight until he was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Monday’s march began at the Tyler Public Library with welcome speeches, prayers, and a poem, ‘The Ballad of Birmingham’ by Dudley Randall, recited by McGrew. The community, including Mayor Don Warren and some members of the Tyler City Council, then marched along South Broadway to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for the annual program.

Attendees were welcomed by Kimberly Lewis, member of the Tyler Together Race Relations and CEO of Goodwill Industries of East Texas, as well as pastor Ginger Brandt of First Christian Church and Father Frank Lanik of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Jessilyn Taylor led the crowd with the National Anthem and the National Black Anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” then the Texas College Choir provided an uplifting performance. Seventeen-year-old Lexie Morgan, from Kids Aspiring to Dream, recited a heartfelt poem. Mayor Warren then spoke to the crowd, emphasizing the importance of the day and the ongoing work for equality.

Carol Henson, the presiding president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. — Zeta Kappa Zeta Chapter — introduced keynote speaker Dr. Mary Breaux Wright.

Dr. Wright talked about the achievements of Dr. King and his work as a civil rights leader. She then encouraged the community to be proactive in creating positive change and fostering unity, urging them not to complain about issues but to take action, whether by running for office or actively working to make a difference.

“You cannot clean the house if you aren’t inside,” she told the crowd.

Dr. Wright’s overall message to the attendees and the community is the continuing fight for justice and equality, just as Dr. King championed throughout his life.