The Dunbar Heritage Association honored Martin Luther King Day with two days of activities: a Kids Event at the San Marcos Library on Jan. 17 as well as a wreath-laying ceremony, MLK Walk, and Celebration at the Hays County Historic Courthouse on MLK Day, Jan. 19. Following the gathering at the Courthouse, the San Marcos Police Department served breakfast tacos at the Dunbar Recreation Center.
DHA President Alex Banbury said the events this year were the most successful ever, with more than 500 participants in the Walk, including 33 groups. There were 40 participants in the wreath-laying ceremony and 45 attendees for the Kids Event, he said.
“It was probably one of our largest MLK walks that we’ve had to date, and we’re currently working on our 25th celebration for next year. So thank you all very much, and thank you for the support that Hays County and San Marcos gives us,” he told the Hays County Commissioners Court on Tuesday.
Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe, who participated in the Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the LBJ/MLK Crossroads memorial, said the DHA events have been growing and getting better every year. “It was a great success, and it was so humbling to see everybody come together in unity to enjoy that special time in remembrance.”
The theme for the DHA events this year was “Mission Possible II: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way,” according to a proclamation read at Commissioners Court. “This theme embodies the Dunbar Heritage Association’s commitment to programming and action focused on community building, unity and cultural understanding, as part of our goal to educate participants about the importance of celebrating and honoring Dr. King’s legacy.”
The keynote speaker at the Hays County Courthouse Celebration was Terence Parker, former TXST associate dean of students who is currently a deacon at New Zion Baptist Church.
“Dr King’s vision of the beloved community was not an idealistic dream, it was a practical, achievable goal rooted in justice, compassion and reconciliation,” Parker said. “Community Service is one of the most tangible ways we live out this vision, when we serve, whether by mentoring a young person, feeding the hungry or advocating for equity, we are actively dismantling barriers and building bridges. Service is not charity. It is justice in action.”
The Kids Event at the library featured educational crafts and workshops as well as a sing-along version of “Lift Every Voice,” when participants and volunteers surrounded a piano in the library lobby. At the end of the event, the kids held a mini-walk, from the library to the San Marcos Activity Center, to show off the signs they had made during a workshop.
