JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For Gary Thomas, Jacksonville’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade isn’t just a procession through downtown streets — it’s a “Freedom Walk” that has defined nearly half a century of his life.
Click here for more Black History Month coverage.
Thomas, co-founder of Jacksonville’s MLK Foundation, has helped organize the parade for 45 years, transforming it into one of the city’s most significant civil rights commemorations.
“It’s not just for Dr. King,” Thomas explained. “It’s for all of the people, black, white, whatever, that have been involved in the struggle for human rights in this country, to make this republic a real democracy.”
This year’s parade marked its largest turnout yet, featuring nine marching bands — the most in its history — alongside cheer teams, JROTC units, clubs, associations, law enforcement, and corporate participants.
For Thomas, each step of the Freedom Walk carries deeper meaning. “We walk in the shadow of Dr. King, Medgar Evers, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks,” he said. “That, more than anything, should be the spirit of our parade.”
He emphasized that the celebration extends beyond Dr. King’s individual contributions. “We feel like it’s the entire movement that we celebrate,” Thomas said. “There were a lot of other people, too, that have vanished into obscurity that made sacrifices as significant as those that Dr. King made.”
RELATED: Crowds honor legacy of civil rights icon at Jacksonville’s 45th annual MLK Holiday Parade
The MLK Foundation’s reach goes far beyond the annual parade. Under Thomas’s leadership, the organization maintains a year-round presence in Jacksonville through memorial services, scholarship programs, food drives and educational trips.
Thomas remains committed to keeping the parade community-driven, refusing to let it become commercialized. This dedication to preserving its authentic purpose has helped maintain the event’s significance as both a celebration and a reminder of ongoing civil rights work.
While Thomas acknowledged that the time to pass the torch will eventually come, his vision for the Freedom Walk remains clear: he hopes the seeds planted along this route will continue to grow for the next 45 years and beyond.
Rewatch this year’s parade below: