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Thursday, May 22, 2003 |
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Posted on May 18, 2003 MLK rally draws 8,000
baker.maultsby@shj.com GREENVILLE -- A crowd of marchers stretched a quarter mile long and two lanes wide Saturday in downtown Greenville as they protested Greenville County Council's refusal to adopt a holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Along the walk from the Greenville County Courthouse to County Square, small groups sang songs and chanted, "Do the right thing -- honor Dr. King." Some marchers wore T-shirts with slogans and carried homemade signs. Most in the crowd, estimated at 8,000 by Greenville police, were African-American. But white people also took part in the protest. Among them was Steve O'Neill, who had a dual purpose Saturday. First, he wanted to show his support for a King holiday. As a history professor at Furman University, O'Neill also has been documenting a months-long controversy that he says is "clearly symbolic." "What this says is that blacks and whites probably have a different view of what happened 40 years ago," he said in reference to the Civil Rights era. Jesse Jackson, whose Rainbow PUSH Coalition organized the march, touched on the historical landmarks of those years in a speech at the conclusion of the rally. Jackson invoked not only the names of those who led the cause, but also those of white Southerners who resisted civil rights for blacks. The Greenville County Council, Jackson said, is acting "in a tradition of secession, segregation, slavery and meanness." NAACP President Kweisi Mfume spoke as well. Displaying a sense of showmanship, he approached the microphone as Aretha Franklin's R&B classic "Respect" blared through loudspeakers and many in the crowd danced and clapped with the music. Mfume made clear the importance of Saturday's march with a chant he urged the crowd follow: "Protest is power. No protest – no power." Though Jackson, a Greenville native, has positioned himself at forefront of the fight over the King holiday, he spent much of his talk Saturday focusing on ways to lift people out of poverty: better schools, equal healthcare and an engaged electorate. He wrapped up his speech with a makeshift voter registration drive. Afterward, Jackson said he was happy with the day's events, which concluded in the section of town where he grew up. "I'm very impressed," he said. "In spite of the dreary weather, people turned out by the thousands." Jackson expressed pride his hometown, but added that Greenville County is still home to "hardcore resistance to racial equality, gender equality and workers' rights to organize." Greenville County Council Vice Chairman Scott Case, speaking by telephone Saturday evening, said the march will not sway his position against the King holiday. He emphasized that Greenville County recognizes Dr. Martin Luther King Day out of respect for his contributions to Civil Rights. But to adopt it as a paid holiday is problematic, he said. On the one hand, Case says the county simply cannot afford to add holidays during a tight budget year. Further, the county offers its employees a floating holiday, and Case believes it would be unfair to those workers to assign that day to the King holiday. As for Jackson's involvement, Case labeled the activist an "economic terrorist" using Greenville's controversy for his own gain. A number of business leaders in Greenville, however, have argued that it's County Council's refusal to adopt the holiday that threatens the Upstate's business climate. Jackson underscored that view Saturday, arguing that the advancement of minorities and rights for all citizens has made economic progress possible in South Carolina. "Everybody is eating at Dr. King's table," he said. Baker Maultsby can be reached at 562- 7425 or baker.maultsby@shj.com. |
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All material ©2003 Spartanburg Herald-Journal | |
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