CINCINNATI — Hundreds gathered outside the steps of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati on Monday morning and braved the bone-chilling weather to march. They marched to commemorate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., organized by the Cincinnati MLK Coalition. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Cincinnati MLK Coalition hosted the 50th Commemorative March & Freedom Program on Monday

  • Hundreds of people and organizations from across the region participated including the Cincinnati NAACP

  • Attendees said that lots of progress has been made towards MLK's vision but there's still more work to be done

“It's really not cold, it's just the temperature. The climate of the world today needs more warming of people coming together,” Whitehead said.  

David Whitehead is the president of the Cincinnati NAACP. He said the organization is focused on inclusion and building opportunities for prosperity for everyone. Whitehead said it was important for them to show up and march the one-mile stretch to be a part of the continued work Dr. King started. 

“It’s fulfilling to see that there's so many people that come together from different races, different religions, and different ideologies for the sole purpose of making sure that we have a better community," Whitehead said.   

For those who wanted to celebrate but couldn’t march, the coalition also hosted a freedom program that featured several live performances and a keynote address. 

Ryane Sickles of YWCA of Greater Cincinnati told Spectrum News 1 that no matter how you choose to celebrate the contributions of the civil rights legend, it’s important that we all do something. 

“One of the things that Martin Luther King Jr. talked about was just taking that first step, even if you can't see the staircase,” Sickles said.  “Engaging in that first step is what is going to bring our community closer to tackling those injustices.” 

Dr. King’s iconic 'I Have A Dream' speech touched on key points like economic inequality, civil rights, peaceful protesting, and hope for the future. 

Whitehead said progress can be seen around the nation as well as right here in the Queen City. Nonetheless, he told us that the fight must continue so that change doesn’t become stagnant. 

“These are some troubling times, and we're not afraid of troubling times. We're afraid of complacency because of people not being active and motivated to improve their conditions. That's what we want to do. We want to improve the conditions for everyone," Whitehead said.  

This year’s celebrations marked the 50th anniversary of The Cincinnati MLK Coalition’s programming.