“Unity In The Community” to Celebrate Black History Month
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
CROCKETT – After the hard freeze and icy conditions caused a postponement to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebrations, organizer Kevin “KJ” Johnson promised the event was not cancelled, only postponed. True to his word, Johnson has created a day of both fun and reflection, both honoring King and commemorating black history month.
The first annual black history parade and festivities, called, “Unity in the Community,” will be held Saturday, Feb. 17, with a parade beginning at First Baptist Church in downtown Crockett and running to Davy Crockett park, where a program and food and other vendors will be ready to keep people entertained.
The parade route was originally set to go down MLK Blvd, but due to the ongoing road improvements, was moved to the park, where the theme will be, “Children Are Our Future.”
The program, featuring Bethel Baptist Preacher D. Allison Moffett, Jr. and Crockett Mayor Dr. Ianthia Fisher, along with a special appearance by the “TSU Sensations.”
Working with children during his years in law enforcement and the D.A.R.E. program, Johnson said he wants as much participation from local youth as possible.
“You don’t have to wait until February to celebrate black history, you can celebrate it all year long,” Johnson said. “Black history month is just a way to highlight black history to a wider group of people. We encourage the whole community to come.”
That same day will see the Mary Allen Museum “Founders Day” event at Lifepoint Church, beginning at 1 p.m., with some planning on attending the parade and program, before joining the traditional Mary Allen presentation.
A separate event will be held in the Community of Holly that evening at 5:30 p.m.
Asked about some of his inspirations from black history, Johnson named several, but there was one man in particular who represented black history to him, personally.
“My grandfather – he was my father, he was my teacher – I mean, he told me everything I need to know about being a man and instilled in me love and joy for my fellow man,” Johnson said. “When I was a little boy, I used to go during the summer and help him work as a mechanic, helping to change all the big trucks and everything. He taught me a lot. He is my hero. He had a John Wayne kind of swagger. You listened when he talked. He made things simple.
“Anytime he had food left over, he would give it away to people in the neighborhood. And if somebody in the neighborhood was hungry and he knew about it, they didn’t go hungry anymore. He was that kind of dude.”
Many of us, of whatever race, were lucky enough to have such role models in our lives. And although “they don’t make them like they used to,” the lessons Johnson learned from his own grandfather show we all have much more in common and more that connects us than divides us.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
