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MLK Day Parade, Other Monday Jacksonville Events To Honor Dr. King's Legacy

Associated Press file photo
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (3rd from left) talks with President Lyndon B. Johnson (right) on Jan. 18, 1964.

Jacksonville’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade will be held Monday, Jan. 18, at 10 a.m.The Downtown parade’s route will be identical to the 2020 Veteran’s Day Parade, according to the Law Offices of Ron Sholes, which is the presenting sponsor.

Participants will start on Water Street, parallel to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta branch. The parade will continue on to Laura, then Adams Street before concluding at the intersection of Lee and Bay streets.

The event will last approximately two hours, winding through the streets of Downtown Jacksonville for roughly 1.5 miles.

Floats, live performances from local marching bands, dance troupes, and decorated vehicles representing local businesses and organizations while also exhibiting a theme related to King’s message.

With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the rise in Duval County and across the country, the Centers for Disease Control advise avoiding crowds and keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from people from outside your household.

Cummer Museum Offers Free Admission For MLK Day

The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens will be offering free admission and programming on Monday, Jan. 18, in honor of King’s legacy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QCo8oe9BsQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QCo8oe9BsQ

The museum is offering a mix of in-person and virtual programming:

In-Person

  • Mindful yoga session led by certified instructor, Alnisa Turner, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Cummer Gardens (before the museum opens). Bring your own mat.
  • Live music sets throughout the day from Akia Uwanda, a classically trained sultry jazz and soul vocalist.
  • Free Art Making kits. First come, first served. As supplies last.

Free Virtual Experiences:

  • A conversation with author and historian, Rodney L. Hurst, Sr.
  • An art making activity led by Danielle Garcia, Museum Educator.
  • A performance from the JAMS (Jacksonville Arts & Music School) chorus in a video produced by their student run production team.

Get time-specific tickets for in-person admission.

On WJCT Public Television: 'A Ripple Of Hope'

Credit PBS

Monday night, Jan. 15, at 8 p.m. on WJCT's World TV channel 7.5, WJCT will present A Ripple of Hope. The special looks at the night of King's murder in 1968. A Ripple of Hope is also available on demand on WJCT's Passport. The Passport streaming service is a member benefit for supporters of WJCT.

Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.

Bill joined WJCT News in September of 2017 from The Florida Times-Union, where he served in a variety of multimedia journalism positions.