2,000 honor MLK’s legacy at Spokane Unity March, remember late founders
News Story by Lucille Stutesman | FāVS News
Despite temperatures dipping below freezing, more than 2,000 people packed the Spokane Convention Center on Monday for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity March and Rally.
The crowd included multiple generations of participants, from elementary school children to longtime supporters who have attended for decades. Local teacher Catlin Wooley, who first joined the march as a kindergartener, brought her soon-to-be kindergarten son to continue the family tradition.
“I liked how many young people they had there because I’m a teacher, so I like to see the youth being involved in what’s going on and just being active given what’s going on in our world,” she said.
NAACP history and Unity March
NAACP Spokane President Lisa Gardner addressed the crowd, emphasizing both current challenges and historical perspective.
“We are entering a new chapter in our nation’s history, one that calls for vigilance, action and unity,” she said.
The Spokane NAACP, founded in 1919, has been a cornerstone of civil rights activism in the region for over a century.
“For over 100 years, when they were pulling Emmitt Till out of the river, NAACP was here in Spokane. Brown v. Board of Education, NAACP was here in Spokane. The march on Washington, NAACP was here in Spokane,” Gardner said.
Remembering Happy Watkins
The rally took on added significance as the first without either of its co-founders. Ivan Bush passed away in 2023, and the Rev. Percy “Happy” Watkins died in October 2024, leaving a legacy that spans decades of civil rights advocacy in Spokane.
Watkins was known for his stirring rendition of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which he memorized in 1986 and delivered at the march annually until the COVID-19 pandemic. His final recorded performance from 2021 was played at last year’s rally when health concerns prevented his attendance.
“He created the march and so he’s always gonna be remembered at the march,” said Rev. James Watkins, his son.
This year, organizers honored his memory with a short documentary.
Today’s significance
The day’s speakers addressed both the historical significance of the movement and current challenges. Bishop Garry Tyson, president of the General Baptist Convention of the Northwest, called for civic engagement.
“We are here today to lift our voices against economic tyranny and corporate takeover of the government,” Tyson said. “Political and economic systems in our country are broken. They are on a ventilator.”
Mary Churchill, new to Spokane but a veteran of MLK Day marches in Bend, Oregon, found particular meaning in this year’s gathering, which coincided with Trump’s inauguration.
“I think it was actually a good thing, this year, because this was something we could do, and come out for,” Churchill said, echoing the day’s themes of action and unity.
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