As President Donald Trump was sworn into office Monday, civil right activists around the nation found themselves in a combined state of celebration and mourning.
Parades and celebrations marking Gainesville’s 41st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day took place as Trump prepared to take office as the 47th president of the United States.
To local activists and community organizers, King’s dream seems somewhat antithetical to Trump’s return to office after a series of controversies. Trump previously stated he had a bigger crowd on Jan. 6, 2021, than King did for his “I Have a Dream” speech during a campaign rally in Mar-a-Lago.
He also once compared North Carolina’s former Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson to King, deeming him a “Martin Luther King on steroids,” which many took offense to.
And in November, a pro-Trump social media account posted an AI-generated advertisement to the social platform X in which Martin Luther King Jr. endorsed Trump. The video was denounced as a “deepfake” and condemned by King’s daughter, Bernice King.
But despite controversy and political tension, cities across the nation still found themselves celebrating King’s message for peace, love and social change.
In celebration of King’s legacy, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida, alongside the City of Gainesville, held events from Jan. 11 to Jan. 20.
Rodney Long, the president and founder of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida, said the commission’s theme this year focuses on the idea of resilience and “not going back.” Long has been involved with the commission since 1983.
“Regardless of who's in the White House — what administration is in the White House — we're going to continue to espouse those principles of nonviolent social change demonstrated by Dr. King, including equity and inclusion for all people,” Long said.
Despite the current political climate, Jan. 20 was still a day to reflect on who King was, Long said. He said he wants people to understand why King ultimately paid the sacrifice of his life, which gave millions of Americans the ability to sit at lunch counters and be treated equally despite the color of their skin.
“We're going to hold whoever's in the White House, whether it's a Democratic administration or a Republican administration, we’ll hold their feet to the fire so they will make sure that all Americans are entitled to justice, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Long said.
Celebrating community
To kick off the Jan. 20 celebration, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida began by honoring various award recipients — including Cayden Parker, a senior at Santa Fe High School, who was awarded the 2025 Edna M. Hart Keeper of the Dream Scholarship.
The scholarship requires students to write a 500 word essay on King’s ideals and principles and participate in a mandatory interview process with the MLK Education Committee. The scholarship is given annually to students to support their college education and continue King’s legacy. Parker was awarded $15,200.
Afterward, over 50 people came together to march for the King Celebration Annual Commemorative Parade, an annual Gainesville tradition that began in 1982. Gainesville City Mayor Harvey Ward marched alongside community members and thanked attendees for showing up despite the near-freezing temperatures.
Parade attendees marched from East University Avenue to Waldo Road, north of Citizens Field. Among attendees was 12-year-old Zephaniah Shepherd, who said King means a lot to him.
“This one Black man, Dr. Martin Luther King [Jr.], spoke up for us,” Shepherd said. “He did lots of stuff for us, including the Black community.”
Other community members — of all age groups — expressed appreciation for King and said they were excited to share the civil rights leader’s message of peace and equality despite political differences among the attendees.
Charlie Jackson, a 60-year-old military veteran, attended the parade and said Martin Luther King Jr. Day is about freedom and democracy.
He noted this year was special to him due to the holiday falling on Trump’s inauguration. Presidential inaugurations always occur Jan. 20, and Martin Luther King Jr. day always takes place on the third Monday of January. The last time a presidential inauguration landed on Martin Luther King Jr. day was in 2013 during former President Barack Obama’s inauguration.
“We're also going to deliver today an inauguration that's not going to involve climbing the walls in Washington,” Jackson said. “It’s going to involve putting President Trump into office in a free country, in a free nation, doing it the way it should be.”
Marvin Buchannon, a 66-year-old Gainesville resident, said the holiday is about coming together as a country. Trump’s inauguration falling on the same day as King’s national holiday shouldn’t necessarily be significant, Buchannon added.
He said he hopes King’s message doesn’t get overshadowed by the current political climate.
“We have to think on a higher level to learn to love and respect one another regardless of what's going on,” Buchannon said.
Contact Vivienne Serret at vserret@alligator.org. Follow her on X @vivienneserret.
Vivienne Serret is a UF journalism and criminology senior, serving as the Fall 2024 race and equity reporter for The Alligator's Enterprise desk. She previously worked as a columnist and previously reported for The Alligator's university desk as the student government reporter. She loves karaoke and lifting at the gym.
