Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston, who almost single-handedly got the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade established in Greensboro decades ago, discussed this year’s upcoming parade and other related celebrations at a commissioners meeting recently, and he encouraged everyone in the community to hit as many celebrations as they could in honor of the most important American civil rights leader in history.
Alston made his comments at the Thursday, Jan. 9 meeting of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.
The Greensboro Branch of the NAACP is sponsoring the 35th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade, which Alston and his wife Gwen are, as usual, heavily involved in organizing.
“My wife and I will be in charge of that—I’d say more so my wife is in charge,” Alston joked. “If you want to participate in the parade, it is free of charge. However, if you have a business that you’re promoting, there is a $75 fee.”
Alston emphasized that the parade sees a very significant turnout each year.
“We usually have over 100 entries and more than 56,000 people participating every year,” he said. “Typically, we see about 30,000 to 40,000 people lining the streets of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive,”
He made his comments at the very end of the commissioners’ meeting.
This event holds a special meaning for Alston, since he was so instrumental in establishing it.
“This is an event I started in 1990, after getting the street named in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1989,” the board chairman said. “We’ve been holding the parade ever since to celebrate that achievement.”
The parade will take place on Monday, January 20, at 11 a.m.
“We start precisely at 11, rain, sleet, snow, or shine,” Alston said. “We don’t cancel the parade, so we encourage everyone to come out and enjoy it.”
In addition to the parade, other events will be held to honor Dr. King throughout the day and the weekend.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, sponsored by the Greensboro Human Relations Commission, will be held that morning starting at around 7:30 a.m.
Alston said this year’s speaker will be the principal of Dudley High School. “The breakfast typically draws over 1,000 attendees – it’s a wonderful way to start the day,” Alston said.
Other events include the following:
The International Civil Rights Center and Museum will host activities in honor of Dr. King throughout the day.
St. James Presbyterian Church will hold a noon service, while the Greensboro Pulpit Forum will host services in the evening.
Alston spoke very highly of the annual Temple Emanuel Event.
On the Friday before the holiday, Temple Emanuel will host an event at 7 p.m.
Alston praised this tradition: “I’ve attended it for 25 years, and it’s always inspiring. It really helps set the tone for reflecting on Dr. King’s legacy.”
Commissioner Carlvena Foster highlighted some events in High Point including a community breakfast at High Point University on Monday morning at 8 a.m.
That event will feature an oratorical contest for high school seniors who’ll make speeches related to King.
“The students present their speeches on Monday morning, and scholarships are awarded at the church service Monday night; it’s a great opportunity for the youth,” Foster noted.
“These events are a testament to the lasting impact of Dr. King’s work,” she said. “We are very proud to sponsor and support these celebrations, and I encourage everyone to participate.”
The Western North Carolina Conference has announced a Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Commemoration Event that will be celebrated on Saturday, January 18,
The 10 a.m. service will be held at Christ United Methodist Church at 410 Holden Road in Greensboro. The Western North Carolina Conference uses the celebration to pay tribute to the life, legacy and impact of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The official 2025 theme is “Honoring The Dream: Declaring our Faith, Proclaiming Our Hope and Pursuing Liberty and Justice for All.”
This highlights King’s “fierce loyalty and commitment to end legalized racial segregation, discrimination and disenfranchisement.”
There are many other events going on in the community this holiday weekend as well celebrating the life of King and his massive contributions to the fight for equal rights for minorities before he was killed.
Is Alston’s wife really named “Gwen”? Forgive me, but I think that’s funny. It’s a Welsh female name that means white or fair skinned. Often given to baby girls with red or blonde hair, blue eyes, and especially marble white skin.
Really.
Just keep in mind, mate, what me ancestors said:
“Cofiwch, dim ond yn America allwch chi fod yn unrhyw beth rydych chi ei eisiau”
Duw, Duw, there’s Welsh you are, bach! I’m from Llanelli but was raised in an Anglophone family and we moved to England when I was 7. So I only know snippets of Welsh.
Cymru am Byth!
You guys are showing off.
No, we’re not. We’re celebrating our own culture and race, just as all other cultures do.
This phenomenon is particularly evident in small cultures that have been overwhelmed by bigger, ore powerful cultures. Try calling a New Zealander an Australian and you’ll find out very quickly. Or a Canadian an American. Or a Scot an Englishman. We know we have to preserve our culture or it will be subsumed by the bigger one.
The Welsh people comprise just one in 22 of the British population. Amazingly, our language and culture have survived – unlike so many other small groups who have lost their identity.
And today’s Welsh are Brythonic Celts, the Ancient Britons. We are justifiably proud of our historic achievements, even if our beautiful island was overwhelmed by waves of Saxons, Jutes, Vikings, Angles, Frisians, Danes, and Normans.
Iechyd Da, Miller !
European American wannabes.
Austin. I’m with you. Never stop being proud or celebrating your history and heritage
I’m proud to say born in the USA but
Southern by the grace of God.
God bless the USA and Dixie
I’ve been busy but have your number I’ll give you a call soon a call soon and we will have a cold one or three
Cheers
“Pursuing Liberty and Justice for All” sounds like it was stolen from Superman. As far as justice for all, equity and DEI are not justice: Equity because it undermines merit and DEI because it violates constitutional law.
April 4th would be a great day for a parade
A police friend of mine who worked the parade said Wanna be sheriff danny looked like a Cam Newton wannabe today. What a clown