Drive-in rally celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

JACKSON, Tenn. — Each year, the Jackson-Madison County branch of the NAACP hosts multiple events to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

This year’s events all looked different from previous years, but they all still focused on Dr. King’s legacy and message. This year’s theme was “Good Trouble, Necessary Trouble.”

“In the midst of a pandemic, the spirit and the commitment of Dr. King has to be celebrated,” said Dr. Martha Robinson, vice president of the Jackson-Madison County branch of the NAACP. “And so today, but more so than in recent years.”

“We’ve been blessed with a beautiful day, so there is no reason why we can’t come out and be involved and support the community, and all the things that are going on that have taken place in 2020, so this is going to be kind of like a beginning to a new year,” said Jerry Butler, a member of the Theta Iota chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Instead of hosting their annual march through downtown Jackson, the organizing committee instead held a drive-in unity rally at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.

Several dozen vehicles parked in the lot, mostly families who attended the rally.

Several dozen vehicles, most with families, attended the rally which featured a brief presentation.

Guest speakers included leaders with the NAACP, City of Jackson Mayor Scott Conger and several other community leaders that participants listened to on their radios.

“We see the results of his work. Even though we are still fulfilling the dream, we can acknowledge that we made quite a bit of progress in recent years, and then there’s still work to be done and we are continuing that proud legacy,” Robinson said.

The branch also hosted two virtual events on Monday, including a virtual health forum and a virtual community meeting.