OKC Dream Peace Walk marked anniversary of King's 'Letter From a Birmingham Jail'

"You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations." — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in "Letter From a Birmingham Jail." 

A diverse group of people recently walked along a stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue to commemorate the anniversary of an iconic letter written by the street's famous namesake.

Leaders of Stronger Together's "Dream Peace Walk" said the April 16 event was grounded in the ideals that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. expressed in his "Letter From a Birmingham Jail." The civil rights leader was jailed on Good Friday in April 1961 for leading a nonviolent march in Birmingham, Alabama. King wrote his open letter to the clergy who had asked him not to hold a demonstration in Birmingham, encouraging him to wait until what they perceived would be better timing.

This was mentioned by the Rev. Clarence Hill, Stronger Together's founder, who spoke to the crowd that gathered Douglass High School, 900 N Martin Luther King Ave. to start the walk. The Norman pastor said it was fitting that people of different races, backgrounds and communities would mark the 60th anniversary of King's powerful letter with a walk for peace.

"In that year, there was a level of racism and evil and hatred that if he had not stood and responded the way he responded, we would not be here standing in a mixed crowd like we are," Hill said of King. "Somebody decided that they were not going to respond hate for hate and return evil for evil."

Several people that Hill described as "peacemakers" — men from the law enforcement, Hispanic, Native American and Asian communities ― briefly addressed the crowd to share their dreams for the community.

"Our differences are miniscule compared to what we have in common," Moore Police Chief Todd Gibson said. "My hope is in this world of negativity is that we can be united for the good of our community."

Thuan Nguyen also spoke of unity.

"My dream for the community is we all hold each other accountable but also that we walk with one another in love," Nguyen said.

The Douglass High School Marching Band performed several selections but not before participants were given some things to consider as they walked and were encouraged to get to know someone from a different part of the community.

Tyler Green, director of Flourish OKC, and Marcus Jackson, founder and chief executive officer of Urban Bridge, urged walkers to consider ways that they could personally help bring about peace and community transformation.

The walk ended at the Bridge Impact Center, where participants sang songs led by Mars Coleman and other musicians. Walkers were treated to free food from a local food truck parked on the grounds of the center, 1915 N Martin Luther King Ave., and guests were encouraged to write their own dreams for a better community on pieces of colored paper.

Ebony Guesby, 42, of Oklahoma City, said she wanted to participate in the walk because she had always considered King's eloquent words in "Letter From a Birmingham Jail" to be among the civil rights icon's most powerful.

Edmond resident David Pendleton, 72, said he heard about the walk earlier in the day at his church, Henderson Hills Baptist in Edmond. He said he and his wife Kathleen and several of the church's elders were participating in the walk for peace.

"They announced it at our church and I thought it was a great idea," Pendleton said. "I wanted to be part of the solution."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Stronger Together's 'Dream Peace Walk' honors 'Letters from Birmingham'