We are excited to participate in celebrating the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On behalf of our Most Worshipful Grand Master, The Honorable Glenn N Ruffin, we are pleased to invite you to march in the 43rd Martin Luther King, Jr., Day Parade. This is our time to make our presence felt here in our city, the District of Columbia, and demonstrate our commitment to our community. Let’s show everyone how masons love one another and spread brotherly love throughout this city. This annual event, at times, can be chilly, but we will be able to do what our ancestors have done for us in the past. My challenge to each lodge is to communicate this information to your memberships and set a goal to have at least ten brothers per lodge participate. We can do this, but it will take all of us to get the word out to our brothers.
This year’s parade will be held on Monday, January 15, 2024. The starting point will be the St. Elizabeth campus (Rise Center) at 2730 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 20032, and ending at Anacostia Park at 1130 Good Hope Road SE, Washington, DC 20032. We will wear a Jurisdictional Dress with regalia. Those who have walked with us in past years know how to dress warmly.
Shuttle buses will be available from Anacostia Park to the Rise Center and from the Rise Center to Anacostia Park. The craft will assemble at 10:00 am, and the parade will start at 11:00 am. I have attached the parade information for your review.
We look forward to seeing you all at the parade.
The D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Parade was conceived in 1977 by the late Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, founder of The Washington Informer and co-founder of the United Black Fund, along with his wife, the late Ward 8 Council member Wilhelmina J. Rolark, Esq., and the late Ralph “Petey” Greene, a community activist and radio personality. Thanks to these three renowned civic leaders, the District of Columbia was one of the first jurisdictions in the nation to hold a parade honoring Dr. King following his untimely death on April 4, 1968. The parade began in 1979, 6 years before King’s birthday became a federal holiday. It helped establish a national holiday in Dr. King’s honor, and today, it reinforces the work being done by government agencies, community non-profit organizations, and private citizens to promote peace and non-violence locally and around the world. Across the nation and the world, Dr. King’s life and legacy are commemorated by a day of service and promoted as “A Day On and Not a Day Off.”
The Martin Luther King Jr. Parade symbolizes the need to continue Dr. King’s work. It reinforces the idea reflected in his words, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” Those who believe in Dr. King’s message are considered members of the Coalition for Peace and are invited to join the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Parade annually.
If you have any questions, please contact either of the following team members:
Willie H. Bennett, Jr., WGDOCR&GA
Phone: 301-318-3962
Email: wbwbennett8@gmail.com
Email: tjax.357@gmail.com
Thomas Bryd, WGDOPR
Phone: 240-375-3705
Email: thomas.byrd@yahoo.com
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