King parade to honor 5 activists

January 05, 2006|By KELLY BREWINGTON

Local high school bands will march alongside Baltimore civil rights leaders at the city's sixth Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Jan. 16.

With the theme, "Celebrating Yesterday's Victories, Facing Today's Challenges," the parade will honor five local activists as grand marshals: the Rev. Douglas Sands of New Waverly United Methodist Church; Marvin "Doc" Cheatham, president of the Baltimore NAACP branch; entrepreneur and Greater Baltimore Urban League Chairman Raymond V. Haysbert; J. Howard Henderson, president of the Greater Baltimore Urban League; and Jim Griffin, the first black member of Baltimore's school board.

The annual parade combines community groups and city dignitaries to celebrate King's legacy. Groups include the National Council of Negro Women, Druid Heights Community Development Corp. and the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland.

FOR THE RECORD - Because incorrect information was provided by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, an article in Thursday's editions about the city's sixth Martin Luther King Jr. Parade incorrectly identified James Griffin as Baltimore's first African-American school board member. The first African-American to be appointed to the Baltimore school board was George W. F. McMechen.
The Sun regrets the errors.

The parade will begin at noon at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street, ending at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Fayette Street.

The event will close several streets in the area.