Russellville to host January 19th Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration March
Russellville will be the host site for this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration March set for Monday, January 19th.
The annual event rotates among Lauderdale, Colbert and Franklin Counties each year as an important time for reflection, community service and celebration of King’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
The January 19th program is being organized by the Franklin County Branch of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Scholarship Committee.
This year’s theme is ‘From Dreams to Reality, the Work Continues: The Courage to Care, The Power of Change.’
The march will begin at 11 a.m., at the A.W. Todd Centre in downtown Russellville and will proceed to the steps of the Franklin County Courthouse before returning to the Todd Centre, where a special program will highlight the life and accomplishments of Dr. King. A meal will be served following the short program.
Speakers at the January 19th event include the Reverend Dr. John H. Curry, Senior Pastor, Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Tuskegee, Al., and Mariah Wiggs, host of WHNT Channel 19’s Day to Day Show.
All events are free and open to everyone.
King’s legacy is the continued fight for racial equality, justice and human rights through nonviolent means. Dr. King’s efforts led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
His vision is as important and meaningful in 2025 as it was 60 years ago, as his message continues to inspire civil rights activists across the globe.
What distinguished King from other civil rights advocates was his masterful use of nonviolent resistance, including peaceful protests and civil disobedience, all rooted in love and empathy, that challenged segregation and discrimination against all groups.
His legacy lives on in ongoing societal struggles against racism, voter suppression and economic disparities still faced by many Americans today.
At its January 5th meeting, the Russellville City Council approved a resolution recognizing the January 19th Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., holiday and supporting the efforts of the Franklin County Branch of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Scholarship Committee.
Russellville District Four Councilman Lonnie Freeman presented a framed copy of the resolution to committee members at the January 5th meeting.
For more information on the January 19th Commemoration March, contact Franklin County Branch President William Nelson at 256-412-3566 or Melvin Young, Vice-President, at 256-366-7265.
Members of the Franklin County Branch of the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Scholarship Committee with a framed resolution presented to them by the Russellville City Council at its January 5th meeting. From left: Joe Graham, President William Nelson, Vice President Melvin Young and Daryl Gholston.