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Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade organizer Robert Binion leads the parade to downtown Clanton. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

The 24th Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade featured around 50 cars, police cruisers, firetrucks, dune buggies and golf carts in its procession. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Residents decorated their vehicles and participated in the parade as well. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

The Chilton County Democrats were involved in the parade this year. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Marchers in the front of the parade procession leading the way. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Many cars throughout the parade featured drawings and famous quotes from King’s life. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

The Clanton Masonic Lodge #423 was involved with the parade this year. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Some residents made their own creative way to travel in the procession while supporting the holiday. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Dune buggies and golf carts acted as the caboose of the parade to guide the procession to its final destination at the E.M. Henry Community Center. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The 24th Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade was held on Jan. 15 through downtown Clanton to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The parade, which has been held every year since 1999 except in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, had a more special time this year as the holiday fell on King’s birthday. The holiday each year is celebrated on the third Monday of January.

“Every year, I go around the county to try and get folks to come join in with us,” parade organizer Robert Binion said. “Everyone got a little nervous because of the weather today. We usually have more people, but the show must go on. Just because it is cold, it has to go on. We have been doing it a long time, and we invite the whole community out.”

The parade began at 1 p.m. at Jack Hayes Field in Clanton before making its way through downtown, across 7th Street and ending at the E.M. Henry Community Center. Around 50 cars, police cruisers, firetrucks, dune buggies and golf carts participated in the parade to honor one of the world’s greatest advocators.

For Binion, he said this event is important every year because he “wants to keep it on the forefront … Continue to let everyone know that Dr. King marched all over the United States.”

Binion recalled the support from former Clanton Mayor Billy Joe Driver in establishing the parade in the late 1990s, and he is proud the city provides the permits every year to keep the tradition of the parade alive.

“I just want to see it go on for however long I live, and then I will pass it down if someone else wants to do it,” Binion said.

Following the parade, an event at the E.M. Henry Community Center was held with a raffle contest, fellowship between residents and a few guest speakers on what would have been King’s 95th birthday.

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