From dream to reality
Area residents brave wintry weather to take part in MLK events
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Staff photo by Barry Halvorson Several generations of Wharton residents bundled up and braved the cold Saturday morning to participate in this year's Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom March.

While the theme of this past weekend's Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Celebration was "Marching from Dream to Reality," the message following Saturday's march was the need to embrace the past to create a foundation for the future.

Around 100 people braved the cold Saturday morning to march in memory of the fallen civil rights leader.

That was followed by a program that featured a wide variety of different messages and performances ranging from cheers from the Wharton Boys & Girls Club Drill team to performance praise dances by the Boys & Girls Club and Robert Baylor of El Campo.

There was a musical performance by Debra Wilson of Candis Productions and inspirational speeches by different people, including Wharton School Board member Hazel Hurd. Rev. Adraylle Watson read King's "I

have a dream" speech.

But the strongest presentation

Staff photo by Barry Halvorson Rev. Ruiel Taylor speaks on building a future based on embracing the past.

came from Rev. Ruiel Taylor, who admonished those filling the stands of the Dawson School Gym to stop ignoring the tremendous strides made since the days of slavery.

He said people need to become more comfortable with the fact slavery is part of their past.

"The degradation and lack of dignity and respect is something that people don't want to deal with," he said.

"We came unwillingly but did help build this country. As a result, we don't teach that part of our history and don't depict it because we don't want to get people angry or upset."

Taylor said that despite the obvious progress made from slave to citizen, progress still needs to be made before there is true equality in this country. He said that starts with better education.

"We don't want to make progress at the expense of someone else, but we do want to be equal to everyone else," he said.

"How many times have you sat down with your children and told them about their grandparents and great-grandparents and the struggle they faced. You talk about it or are you ashamed of the past that has brought you this far."

He said that unlike the Black community, the various European and Hispanic communities embrace and celebrate their cultures.

Taylor said it is impor- tant to be aware of the past and that Dr. King knew that.

"I think King's death was a wake up call. We don't know our history because we don't want to know it. You need to educate yourself out of the hole if you don't want to end up back where you were.

"If we've been able to make it this far then the best should be yet to come. The reality is we're part of the American Society. And slavery is part of our history.

It's not part of the history you find in American History books, but it is part of the history of our American lives."

Leading the parade from the Courthouse Square to the Dawson Campus were three members of the Wharton High School's Jr. Air Force ROTC detachment. Leading the group was ROTC Sgt. Joy Jourdon.

"I feel we should support MLK," she said. "He had a hard life and people didn't want him to succeed. They were jealous of his successes and his willingness to stick up for other people of African American descent. He was jailed on occasion and eventually killed for what he believed in."

She was joined by fellow ROTC students James Jones and Elisha Cantu. Jones said he was there to pay tribute to King's efforts while Cantu added King was an inspiration to all people.

"More should be taught about Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement in schools," Cantu said.

"People around here don't know as much as they should know about the struggle for equal rights."

In an interview before the march, Greg Baines, Executive Director of Wharton's Just Do It Now program, said that awareness of the King's contributions is needed.

"Awareness needs to be heightened at the local level," he said.

"This country is influenced by a lack of cultural awareness. King planted the seeds of awareness. But we still have a long way to go but as long as we remember and keep the struggle we are going to get there."