Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston, who almost single-handedly got the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade established in Greensboro decades ago, discussed this year’s upcoming parade and other related celebrations at a commissioners meeting recently, and he encouraged everyone in the community to hit as many celebrations as they could in honor of the most important American civil rights leader in history.
Alston made his comments at the Thursday, Jan. 9 meeting of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.
The Greensboro Branch of the NAACP is sponsoring the 35th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade, which Alston and his wife Gwen are, as usual, heavily involved in organizing.
“My wife and I will be in charge of that—I’d say more so my wife is in charge,” Alston joked. “If you want to participate in the parade, it is free of charge. However, if you have a business that you’re promoting, there is a $75 fee.”
Alston emphasized that the parade sees a very significant turnout each year.
“We usually have over 100 entries and more than 56,000 people participating every year,” he said. “Typically, we see about 30,000 to 40,000 people lining the streets of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive,”
He made his comments at the very end of the commissioners’ meeting.
This event holds a special meaning for Alston, since he was so instrumental in establishing it.
“This is an event I started in 1990, after getting the street named in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1989,” the board chairman said. “We’ve been holding the parade ever since to celebrate that achievement.”
The parade will take place on Monday, January 20, at 11 a.m.
“We start precisely at 11, rain, sleet, snow, or shine,” Alston said. “We don’t cancel the parade, so we encourage everyone to come out and enjoy it.”
In addition to the parade, other events will be held to honor Dr. King throughout the day and the weekend.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, sponsored by the Greensboro Human Relations Commission, will be held that morning starting at around 7:30 a.m.
Alston said this year’s speaker will be the principal of Dudley High School. “The breakfast typically draws over 1,000 attendees – it’s a wonderful way to start the day,” Alston said.
Other events include the following:
The International Civil Rights Center and Museum will host activities in honor of Dr. King throughout the day.
St. James Presbyterian Church will hold a noon service, while the Greensboro Pulpit Forum will host services in the evening.
Alston spoke very highly of the annual Temple Emanuel Event.
On the Friday before the holiday, Temple Emanuel will host an event at 7 p.m.
Alston praised this tradition: “I’ve attended it for 25 years, and it’s always inspiring. It really helps set the tone for reflecting on Dr. King’s legacy.”
Commissioner Carlvena Foster highlighted some events in High Point including a community breakfast at High Point University on Monday morning at 8 a.m.
That event will feature an oratorical contest for high school seniors who’ll make speeches related to King.
“The students present their speeches on Monday morning, and scholarships are awarded at the church service Monday night; it’s a great opportunity for the youth,” Foster noted.
“These events are a testament to the lasting impact of Dr. King’s work,” she said. “We are very proud to sponsor and support these celebrations, and I encourage everyone to participate.”
The Western North Carolina Conference has announced a Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Commemoration Event that will be celebrated on Saturday, January 18,
The 10 a.m. service will be held at Christ United Methodist Church at 410 Holden Road in Greensboro. The Western North Carolina Conference uses the celebration to pay tribute to the life, legacy and impact of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The official 2025 theme is “Honoring The Dream: Declaring our Faith, Proclaiming Our Hope and Pursuing Liberty and Justice for All.”
This highlights King’s “fierce loyalty and commitment to end legalized racial segregation, discrimination and disenfranchisement.”
There are many other events going on in the community this holiday weekend as well celebrating the life of King and his massive contributions to the fight for equal rights for minorities before he was killed.
