Thousands gather for San Antonio MLK Day march

Freeman says that she would not have the job or opportunities today if it weren’t for Martin Luther King Jr.’s work many years ago.

“Be thankful and be humble and treat everybody as one we are all equal nobody is better than anybody else”, Foster said.

“Just really having people get into the community, participate in marches”.

On the day set aside to honor the legendary civil rights leader, Biskupski is doing what he would be doing. He said Dr. King’s dream is in disrepair “because of neglect, the lack of courage, the lack of sacrifice and the lack of direction”.

Students at King High School were joined by teachers, elected officials and others in a march.

In Johnson City those young and old were also learning about Dr. King’s message through music and art. Last July, organizers got their wish as SC swiftly removed the flag which had flown at the capitol for more than 50 years after what police said was a racially motivated shooting that claimed nine lives at a church in Charleston. Sanders, a Vermont senator, said that King at the time of his assassination in 1968 was fighting for US economic equality.

Despite news stories around the nation of continued racial divide, many African-American leaders in Butte County say they’ve seen great progress in their community while remaining optimistic about the future.

Thousands of people braved the cold and lined King Street to celebrate the life of Dr. King.

Members of the Louisiana to Los Angeles Organizing Committee, at right, took part in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Los Angeles. “It’s so nice to be standing here and not looking at that flag”, said Ezell Pittman, who attended most of the King Day anti-flag rallies since they started in 2000.

“People come together in celebration not just of him, but of where we have come from where he was”, said Sheila Charles, Ray Charles’ daughter.