Despite obstacles, annual Martin Luther King Day parade rolls on in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Despite cold temperatures and a raging pandemic, the annual Martin Luther King Day parade rolled through west Louisville, Monday, for the 31st straight year.

The crowd that gathered in a parking lot at 27th and Broadway was smaller because of Covid-19, but men, women and children came together, as they have since 1990, to celebrate Dr. King and his message.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - 2021 Parade

"In 1968, the Lord allowed hate to take him out, but we are here today to talk about love," Rev. Charles Elliott told the crowd to a chorus of "amens."

The pastor and civil rights activist said he gave no thought to canceling the event.

"I told the mayor. I told the governor - I couldn't cancel this."

Couldn't cancel, Elliott said, because King's message needs to be heard.

"It is more important today than ever before," he said.

Important, organizers said, after a year of racial justice protests, record levels of violence, and the attack on the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters.

"We're going to have to use that same spirit that Dr. King had," said Bishop Dennis Lyons. "We're going to have to use that same spirit to move us from the level that we are now. This is a continuation of the spirit of Dr. King."

Janae Martin said she brought her son Carter to the event to teach him what is really important.

"And that's unity. That's paying homage and respect to Martin Luther King, Jr. and just making sure that we stay involved," Martin said.

As the parade wound through the streets of west Louisville, it was clear that - even in times like these - the spirit of Dr. King still lives.

"All of the division that we have within our government, I felt that it was very, very important for us to keep this movement going in remembrance of Dr. King," said Elliott.

The parade ended with the traditional church service, but one that organizers said would be the socially-distanced because of the virus.