Abbeville, La. - On January 15, 2023, residents from across Vermilion Parish gathered in Abbeville to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
‘A day on, not a day off’ was the first event of its kind in Abbeville hosted by Vermilion Reach Group. The celebration included powerful speeches that reflected on Dr. King’s influence and his fight for equality.
“If a person doesn’t know their history, they’re doomed to repeat it. We have to know what our history was about in order to protect and ensure that we have a solid future,” said Former Principal of Lighthouse Christian Preparatory School Tiffany Spraggins.
Despite the cold temperatures, more than 50 people were in attendance including residents of all ages.
“I’m interested in politics and I always had that political mind and I always felt that without Martin Luther King I wouldn’t be able to have that mind. I wouldn’t be able to have that freedom, I wouldn’t be able to have my civil rights, and I think that without Martin Luther King there would be no African American involvement in politics. He’s very important in that regard,” said Kaplan High School Junior Coeyn Wise.
In an effort to cultivate community awareness of important moments in Black history, students from Lighthouse Christian Preparatory School created a display for the cultural center.
“The display here was actually created in 2017 and it’s timeless, it’s a history that needs to be told and needs to be kept, the dream needs to be lived,” Spraggins said.
The celebration also included performances and awards. While it’s been more than 50 years since his passing, the impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr lives on for future generations.
“You feel like you can be able to say what you want and maybe make a difference in your community and not just in your community but worldwide,” said Brylee Batiste, Ms. Juneteenth 2023.
