By Staff
Melissa Cason
Franklin County Times
Several members of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Committee, Northwest Alabama Chapter, announced their upcoming plans to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during a press conference held yesterday at the Coffee Bean Caf/.
"On behalf of Rev. Charlie Burgess, president of the Northwest Alabama Chapter, and Rev. Tommie Clay, chairman of the Russellville organizing committee, I'd like to announce that Russellville will host a march in memory of Dr. King on Jan. 21," Committee Member Tom McKnight said.
Local civil right activists Rev. C. D. Hamilton, B.J. Bonner and Bobby McCullough described what it was like during the Civil Rights Movement, and talked about the upcoming march in Russellville.
"We hosted the march in 2000, and again in 2005," Bonner said. "Everytime the march has been held in Russellville, it has been outstanding. We want this year's festivities to be exceptional as well."
A bus will leave the Lauderdale County Courthouse at 9:15 a.m. and will arrive at Gaston Chapel in Sheffield at 9:30 a.m. It will depart for Russellville at 9:45 a.m.
"The bus is for anyone who wishes to ride it from the Florence and Sheffield so that they can attend the event," McKnight said.
The bus is scheduled to arrive at the Chucky Mullins Center by 10 a.m. The center will serve as a meeting place for marchers.
Marchers will march from the Chucky Mullins Center to the Franklin County Courthouse for a special program in memory of Dr. King. The service at the courthouse is scheduled to begin at noon, and will last until 12:45 p.m. The courthouse service will be followed by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Luncheon at the A. W. Todd Centre beginning at 1:30 p.m.
After the conference, McKnight expressed his thanks to Coffee Bean Owners George and Melissa Winstead, and Connie Green of Connie's Creations for supplying the building and refreshments during Thursday's conference.