The annual parade honors the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. and fellow Civil Rights activists.
Courtesy of Visit St. Pete Clearwater
By Molly Ryan
Martin Luther King Jr. Day acts as a reminder of the life, legacy and history of MLK and those who fought alongside him amid the modern Civil Rights movement.
Celebrated annually on the third Monday of January, USF will honor MLK and the fight for civil rights through a series of activities, parades and community service. Additionally, no classes will be held on Jan. 17 for the holiday.
“I think it’s always important to look back on the history and past that has shaped our current day,” senior history major Libby Casale said. “By celebrating MLK Day and working with the St. Petersburg community to honor him, we make sure to always remember and respect the Civil Rights leaders, activists and victims that were able to enact the change they fought so hard for.”
The annual MLK Day parade will make its return to the Tampa and St. Petersburg campuses after previous COVID-19 related cancelations.
In St. Petersburg, the Office of Multicultural Affairs will be taking part in the MLK Dream Big Parade hosted by Advantage Village Academy (AVA), a local charity that fights to eradicate racial and ethnic disparities in education and “exists to educate, empower and enhance the quality of life for individuals that will promote self-sufficiency, financial stability, and economic development” for the disadvantaged youth of Pinellas County, according to their website.
In 2017, the historic Southern Christian Leadership Council, led by MLK during the modern Civil Rights movement, partnered with AVA to revive and rebrand MLK Day festivities in St. Petersburg — the Dream Big Parade has since become a principal component in the city’s celebration of the holiday.
This year, the parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Bayshore Boulevard South, travel up First Avenue South and end at 16th Street near Tropicana Field around 1 p.m.
In Tampa, the MLK Day parade will span West Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, starting in Drew Park and ending on Florida Avenue.
“Celebrating MLK Day in 2022 is so crucially important for us as we need to keep advocating for the advancement and rights of POC especially when we look at the Black Lives Matter movement and how they continue to protest against violence on the Black community,” Casale said.
