MLK Marade
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
Practice
Participating in the MLK Marade:
Attend the Opening Ceremony at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statue at City Park.
Walk with others from City Park to Civic Center Park.
Listen to the presenters and speakers at the Closing Ceremony at Civic Center Park.
Written by MiDian Shofner
Every January, the streets of Denver come alive with the rhythmic cadence of footsteps and harmonious voices that sing the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The MLK Marade is how we come together each year as a city and a community to celebrate the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The MLK Marade is a testament to the enduring power of love, unity, and the dream of justice. It is a combination of a march and parade, and one of the largest celebrations of its kind in the nation. The MLK Marade transforms our city into a living embodiment of Dr. King’s call to love your neighbor. Participants of all ages, races, and backgrounds converge to honor the legacy of Dr. King. We carry signs that echo his words, sing songs of freedom, and walk side by side as a demonstration of what it means to build the Beloved Community.
This MLK Marade would not exist without the extraordinary efforts of Wilma Webb, Denver’s former First Lady and a trailblazer of cultivating community in her own right. Wilma Webb’s determination to honor Dr. King’s legacy was instrumental in making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a recognized holiday in Colorado and our country. Wilma Webb had met Dr. King on at least two occasions when he was in Denver and was a friend of Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Her advocacy, rooted in love and justice, mirrored Dr. King’s own philosophy. She challenged leaders and communities to acknowledge the significance of his work and to commit to carrying it forward. The first official celebration in Denver for Dr. King was on Monday, January 20, 1986.
The MLK Marade is a practice of loving your neighbor. It invites individuals to step out of their silos, to walk together in solidarity, and to reflect on the principles of justice, peace, and empathy. It is not merely a commemoration of the past. It is a call to action for the present and a vision for the joy of those who come beyond us. As we march from the MLK Memorial in City Park to Dever’s Civic Center, our steps reverberate as a powerful reminder of what is possible when communities unite in love.
The MLK Marade is a sacred ritual of remembrance and renewal. It is where vibrant voices and visions come together by the unbreakable thread of love. In the heart of winter, it is a practice that warms the soul and ignites a collective spirit. The MLK Marade is a living reminder for all who participate that the dream is alive, and loving your neighbor remains the most revolutionary act of all.
MiDian Shofner is the founder and Executive Director of The Epitome of Black Excellence and Partnership. She leads as the Co-Director of Histories of Christianity in Our City.
Recommended Reading
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Strength to Love is a deeply personal collection of sermons, written during the civil rights struggle. Rooted in the transformative power of love, it inspires readers to pursue justice and work for renewal within their neighborhoods.
