The Unity Group holds 48th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – On Monday, a large crowd marched together down M.L. King Boulevard during the 48th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration presented by The Unity Group.

Marchers included a group of ladies.

Edna Varner said she wanted to march to honor Dr. King’s dream of inclusiveness.

“One of Dr. King’s lesser known quotations but certainly timely is ‘we may have all come on different ships but we’re in the same boat now’ and that boat is called America,” Varner said.

“It’s a day to stop and reflect and say to ourselves what are we doing to make a difference,” Judith Pedersen-Benn said.

William Bell joined the march hoping the younger generation will understand what it took to get to where we are today and what the civil rights leader stood for.

“What he stood for as far as equality justice for all colors red, white, black, or blue it doesn’t make no difference what color.  He stood for justice for everyone,” Bell said.

“We love him for the things that he did to stop segregation,” 10-year-old Franklin Wilson said.  “To this day we wish that Martin Luther king was still alive so he could see what he’s done to help white people and black people.”

After the march, the celebration continued at Orchard Knob Missionary Baptist Church.

Civil Rights Activist Lonnie C. King, Jr. spoke at the church.

Dr. King was one of the students he partnered with to organize boycotts of Atlanta businesses.