Despite a winter storm that’s turned streets and sidewalks icy, Denver’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration proceeded as planned.
The 32nd annual celebration drew a crowd of a few thousand to City Park. Dignitaries in attendance include Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, and U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette, Ed Perlmutter and Mike Coffman.
Bennet told the crowd that Martin Luther King Jr. understood that “all men are created equal was never a guarantee. It was a promise that each generation has to work to fulfill.”
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock reminded the group that King said if a push for equality is wrong, then the U.S. Constitution is wrong.
“I think your presence here today indicates that in no way in (expletive) were we wrong,” he said.
Wilma Webb, former state lawmaker and Denver first lady who led the push for Colorado to make MLK Day a state holiday, said modern threats to King’s legacy cannot stand.
“We’re here today to say we are not going back.”
Former Denver mayor Wellington Webb said he wouldn’t talk “about that white nationalist in the White House.”
“If we can survive slavery, we can survive that man in the White House.”
After the speeches, songs and poems, the Denver Marade crowd of several thousand began marching down Colfax to Civic Center park. Colfax will be closed to traffic during the Marade.
Live action on Colfax.
— John Aguilar (@abuvthefold)
Entering Civic Center Park. The beginning of the marade winds to a close.
— John Aguilar (@abuvthefold)
A program will follow in Civic Center.
Earlier Monday, city employees worked to help reduce the danger along the parade route.
NOW: City trucks laying down sand along icy MLK Marade route. Details
— jimhooley (@jimhooley)
I'm at the annual Denver MLK Day Marade, where I'm wearing 5 layers of tops and 3 layers of bottoms and will tweet the speeches until either my phone or thumbs freeze. Starts at 9:30.
— John Ingold ☀️ (@johningold)
