The return of the Martin Luther King Jr. March to downtown Crystal City-Festus on Sunday drew dozens of participants, said Denise Brown, an event organizer.
The Giving Something Back to the Community (G.S.B.T.T.C.) nonprofit organization sponsors the event.
This year’s march began at Crystal City Hall and followed a route along Mississippi Avenue to Bailey Road to Main Street, ending at Trinity Mt. Carmel Church in Festus, where a program was held.
Brown said she was happy with the number of participants considering that COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the march in 2021 and 2022.
“I would say we had between 50 and 60 people in the march,” said Brown, a G.S.B.T.T.C. member. “For there not being a march (since 2020), it was a success. In addition to the marchers, we had the Festus High School drum line.”
She said the unseasonably warm temperatures on Sunday contributed to the turnout.
“It was a beautiful day,” she said.
The theme for the program held at the church following the march was “We all have dreams. Is yours to unite or divide?”
“We had a good speaker, the Rev. Gabrielle Kennedy of Buren Chapel AME in Herculaneum,” Brown said.
It was the 28th version of the march. As always, it is held the day before Martin Luther King Jr. Day each January.
“We do plan to keep putting it on every year,” Brown said.
She said the point is to remember and reflect on the civil rights icon.
“I would just like to thank everyone who came out,” Brown said. “We need to remember what he stood for and practice what he stood for.”