Temperatures dropped below freezing Monday as crowds gathered at the A.W. Todd Center before marching up North Jackson Avenue in Russellville for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. march.

Those in attendance chanted through the streets of downtown Russellville and sang songs of praise. Police and fire trucks escorted the march through downtown, while those who were unable to march followed behind in church vehicles.

The march stopped momentarily at the Franklin County Courthouse steps to sing, pray and give thanks for the many people who came out to support.

“Praise be to God that we are able to come together like this,” said William Nelson, chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee’s Franklin County chapter. “There used to be a lot of restaurants we could not go in, but now we own restaurants. We used to have to sit on the back of the bus, but now we own buses. We used to be oppressed by legislators and governors, but now there are legislators and governors of our skin color.”

After a moment of prayer and thanksgiving at the courthouse, the march proceeded back to the A.W. Todd Center, where there was a meal and a speaker.

The speaker at the A.W. Todd Center was Huntsville City Council member Devyn Keith, and the musical entertainment was provided by The Winstons.