PICAYUNE — Picayune and Pearl River County residents, along with county and city officials and area churches, celebrated the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, birthday, now a federal holiday, with a parade and inspirational gospel singing and preaching in Picayune on Monday.

Following a big parade and some old-time preaching and gospel singing was a huge dinner-on-the-grounds.

The parade, which stretched almost the length of Rosa Street, consisted of bands, county and city officials, emergency vehicles and crews, some floats and just plain citizens walking the route singing the old civil rights songs and contemplating King’s simple nonviolent message that a man should be judged on the content of his character and not the color of his skin.

Participants drove cars, four-wheelers, motorcycles and road bikes. Some just walked the parade route.

The parade began at the Greater Pleasant Valley Baptist Church on Weems Street and ended at the Rose of Sharon Church of God in Christ on North Beech Street, where ministers spoke on the meaning of King’s legacy on a day dedicated to taking stock of his memory.

King was born on Jan. 15, 1929, and was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis. Congress passed a bill, and President Reagan signed it on Nov. 2, 1983, in the Rose Garden, establishing the third Monday of January each year as a federal holiday dedicated to King’s memory. It was first celebrated as a federal holiday on Jan. 20, 1986.

While the ministers at Rose of Sharon praised King’s message and what the African-American churches and ministers had done during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, a few sounded notes of alarm and said all is not right in the black communities. Historians say the modern civil rights movement was birthed in the black churches in the South.

Said the Rev. Louis Thomas, Sr., “I wonder if we realize that along the way we have actually lost something. . .I believe that today, if we as a black community would actually take a look, that we would find that we have actually lost something.

“When we start hearing that our children are killing one another, we have lost something,” said Thomas to a packed sanctuary at Rose of Sharon Church, where the parade ended about 11 a.m.

“We look into the future, but how can we have a future when our future is dying,” said Thomas.

“I am not measured by white powder; I’m not measured by the gun I carry. God made something special when he made man. We have all lost. It’s wonderful that our officials are here, but we need to tell them what our communities need. We don’t need to entertain one another and leave out of here with the same problem,” said Thomas. “We know all of the trouble, but no one seems to know a solution.

“When I was coming along, the black preacher was our trumpet. He went through some bad stuff, for us,” said Thomas.

Said Elder Harvey Benard, “We spend so much time on diagnosing the past, but God wants us to put our energy into going forward, into the future. . . We can no longer be stuck in the 40s, 50s and 60s. No longer.”

Said Rev. Kevin Hart, who struck a chord with those attending the services, “As I look in Pearl River County, I am sad by what I’m seeing. So my message is still the same: Dr. King is dead and gone, but what are you going to do with the dream. . . It’s time to start dreaming and time to wake up.”

He continued, “You are more than a weapon in your pocket. You are more than this. You are more than those 22-inch rims; you’re more than those pants hanging down behind your behind. You are more than a big bank account; you are more than fancy clothes; you are more than the latest fad. Your are a child of God.

“I came up poor; my mama had 17 children; I could see the roots down through my floor, but guess what? I am more than that. I was a snotty-knosed kid with holes in my pants, running through the woods of Hart’s Chapel, and people were telling me I wasn’t going to amount to anything, but I knew I was more than that, that I was a child of God,” added Hart to cheers from the congregation which rose to applaud him.

Keynote speaker, the Rev. Dr. Michael A. Kelley, pastor of St. Matthew’s, brought the congregation to its feet when he told them to always remember who they are, a child of God, and with every bit of air in their lungs, praise God. “I never lost my praise,” he told the congregation.

Others honored during the two-hour church service were public officials. Supervisor Anthony Hales, Sr., sang a favorite gospel hymn and gave his personal “testimony.”

“I was 14 when God spoke to me and said he would use me,” said Hales.

Also honored were Cornelius Washington, Sr., who has been characterized as a “pillar” of the community and through his passion for photography compiled a photographic record of the black community dating back to the 1930s. Washington was the Grand Marshal of the parade.

Also honored was the festivities’ king, Willis “Dro Po” Woodson, who founded and managed Woodson Community Boxing Club from April 1984 to July 2004, and who changed the life course of many Picayune youths.

Also honored was festivities’ Queen Mary Helen “BaeMae” Richardson, who was once awarded the Keys to the City of Picayune for her civic and community efforts to better her city and community.

Also honored was Deacon Ike Stewart for the years of dedicated service provided to the MLK committee as bus driver in the community.

The theme of this year’s program was “One God, One Nation.”

Also performing was the Springhill Triumph District Choir and The Tribute Dancers.

Master of Ceremonies was the Rev. Steven Owens; pledge of allegiance was directed by Chief Mark Thorman, NJROTC;  Scripture was read by the Rev. K. Martin Thomas, Jr., and  the Rev. Tommy Haralson; the prayer was offered by the Rev. Tommy Hart and welcome by Elder Donald Hart. Elder David Simmons and Bro. George Janet gave presentations. Also recognized at the ceremonies were Pearl River County NAACP  President the Rev. J. Richardson and Picayune football coach Dodd Lee. The county’s top law enforcement officials also attended.