Bethlehem NAACP Remembers MLK on 50th Anniversary of His Death

Terry and Ryan Gooding, ages 8 and 6

On Tuesday evening, Allentown's NAACP featured a forum that was supposed to be about the impact of hip hop music. Though I'm one of the few old farts who actually listens to and appreciates this music, I skipped the event because this nonprofit, which is supposed to refrain from partisan politics, featured a Congressional candidate as well as a person who thinks she should be Allentown's Mayor. But last night, the Bethlehem NAACP stayed true to its mission with a march to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was cut down just 50 years ago at age 39. The march of about 50 people started at Payrow Plaza, located on Bethlehem's north side, at 5 pm. It ended at Martin Luther King Park, located on the south side, shortly before 6 pm. And at that hour, the hour that King was assassinated, the bells at Holy Ghost Church tolled. They also rang out at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity.

Despite strong winds and plunging temperatures, the pilgrimage marched. At one time, not so long ago, police officers might have clubbed participants  But Bethlehem Police, including its mounted unit, protected marchers from their biggest enemy at rush hour - traffic. NAACP President Esther Lee, with her ubiquitous church hat, joined the march en route, cane and all.

The crowd arrived at Martin Luther King Park a little early. It warmed itself, not with hip hop, but gospel music belted out by Winston Alozie, program director of the Bethlehem Boys and Girls Club.With no accompaniment except for his audience, Winston delivered a stirring rendition of "Let it Shine."



Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez, joined by City Council members Olga Negron and Michael Colón, said Dr. King was more than an advocate for people of color, but a "champion of the overlooked and downtrodden."

State Rep. Steve Samuelson carried a book that contained all of King's most memorable speeches. He said that, a few days after the assassination, King's widow Coretta led a march in Memphis in which people carried signs saying, "Honor King, End Racism." But 50 years later, that dream has yet to be realized. But the dream still lives, as Stevie Wonder notes in a video he just released, including comments from numerous luminaries.



"Dr. King did not die just for black folks," added Lee. She and other speakers spoke about King's fights against residential segregation (more politely called gentrification), poverty, poor wages, police brutality and Vietnam. Some speakers claim that, in the 50 years since King's death, things have grown worse. But for them, standing in a pocket park on a cold and windy day, the dream still lives.

I sometimes have my doubts. I often think of the opening line of poem by e.e. cummings. "pity this busy monster, manunkind, ... not." But then I see two sisters like Terry and Ryan Gooding, ages 8 and 6. How could anyone hate them? The dream does still live.

Blogger's Note: To see photos and videos from yesterday's march, visit my Facebook page.