Houston County NAACP hosts MLK march

"How we stood together and helped each other, how we fight for one another," Pastor SD Campbell said. "There's an African proverb that says, 'When you run a race you may go faster, but when you run together you will go further.'"

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – In observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s 96th birthday and the holiday, the Houston county NAACP hosted “Celebration All In” on Monday.

The event marked the 30th anniversary as a national day of service commemorating the legacy of Dr. King.

The community-wide event started with a with an honorary march that began at Oldfield Baptist Church, with participants marching in unity to New Hope Baptist Church, where a tribute service took place.

President of the Houston County NAACP, Johnathan Johnson, says hosting events like this sets up future generations for success. 

“Kids today need to know that everything wasn’t given, some of the things they get, do, and go, that wasn’t given,” he said. “All this stuff was earned and fought for, and we want to continue to live that legacy.”

Johnson says this generation needs to continue the fight and come together to see change.  

“In the African-American community, we were tight at one time, we were a family,” he said. “We worked together, we prayed together and we built together. We need to get back to that.”

Pastor SD Campbell says this event brings back unity and love in the African-American community. 

“How we stood together and helped each other, how we fight for one another,” he said. “There’s an African proverb that says, ‘When you run a race you may go faster, but when you run together you will go further.'”

Campbell says this day is important to her because she knows about sacrifice and everything Dr. King did for her life. 

“He made a sacrifice for this whole nation, for this country, all of us,” she said. “And his vision, he called it a dream, but it was a vision to see us united and included…what a blessing, that’s why it’s so important to me.”