KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

While Monday morning had overcast skies and cold temperatures, it did not stop residents from gathering and marching to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the return of the annual march sponsored by the We Care Committee.

With many banks, government agencies and schools closed for the federal holiday, a small crowd of community residents, city representatives and faith leaders met at C.D. Stamps Community Center to make the 0.8 mile march from the community center to Tullahoma City Hall and back for the first time since 2020. Marches did not take place in 2021 and 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day also holds a special significance as 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

“We really do this to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said the outgoing We Care Community President Paul Cooley.

Cooley told the crowd prior to the march that Dr. King should always be considered as a hero to many as he showed the spirit of man who thought about people who are mistreated in the community.

“As long as people stand up for something, we got something going.”

Cooley said when he was on his way to the march, he had thought of the analogy of that helping in the community is like picking up the trash, as it needs to be done or things will get bad.

“When you pick up the trash, in other words you are giving someone a hand and that means something to them,” he said.

Cooley said the We Care Committee wanted to get the annual march back up again after not having it for two years, and viewed this year’s march is a new beginning after COVID-19 and thanked everyone who came to the march.

“It takes all of us to do it, and I am glad to see you here.”

Cooley said he likes the idea of the march as it helps the community remember the reasons why they have the march, which at times are uncomfortable.

“All the memories we had were not bad, there were good things that happened and we remember those good times,” he said. “Those are memories we had but the things we are really interested in now, has changed in people’s minds and ideas.”

He emphasized that if people do not let other people know about the history of slavery in the United States and how others were mistreated in the country, even in Tullahoma on a small scale, it will repeat itself.

“It’s still history. What happened here is history,” Cooley said. “We want to keep that [history] going, keep it going in the education where everyone knows what needs to be done.”

Cooley said if everyone in the community stand and work together, like the turnout of the march that morning, then there is still hope.

“Hope is important,” Cooley said.

Cooley encouraged all residents to help and work together, even if they disagree with each other, to continue to support and make the community stronger.

“Work with us and care,” he said. “We can still have a strong community here.”

After the marchers returned to C.D. Stamps Community Center, Cooley led everyone into the cheer of “We shall overcome, deep down in my heart someday.” Breakfast was prepared for everyone and a program honoring Dr. King was held led by community member Royce Massengill Jr. It was revealed at the march that Gloria Garrard will be serving as the We Care Community’s president.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday observed on the third Monday of January each year honoring the late civil rights leader’s birthday – Jan. 15. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000. Tennessee recognized the holiday, along with 44 other states, in 1989. South Carolina and Utah were the last states to officially recognize the day by its official name.