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Dress warmly for a very big MLK March on a very cold Monday, and leave the drones at home

Nathan Cone
/
TPR

The MLK March—one of the city’s larger events—doesn’t revolve around fun, music, or alcohol. It honors the memory and the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dwayne Robinson chairs the MLK Commission overseeing the event, which happens this year on Monday, Jan. 20. Participation varies from year-to-year because of weather, but the march is always a sizeable one.

“We had over 300,000 people participate one year,” Robinson said. “It's the largest march in the country, but it's also the largest in the world.”

That doesn't surprise him. He credits the city’s open-mindedness. “We're a little bit different, and we're able to really celebrate other cultures, and that makes us pretty different,” he said.

It’s seen by many as a fun, yearly social event. “I just got a call a little bit ago from UTSA, and they said they have six buses of people that will be participating,” Robinson said.

This will be the 38th time that people have gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Academy on the East Side and walked the two and a half miles to Pittman Sullivan Park.

The route is through the city’s predominantly Black East Side, and residents the entire way stand by MLK Drive applauding marchers, giving them water and encouragement.

A couple of churches feature live Gospel music, and many residents grill burgers as marchers pass by.

Robinson said that, as always, there will be inspiration at the end of the march. “Our keynote speaker this year will be Andrea Waters King, Dr. King's daughter-in-law, the wife of Martin the III,” he said.

Last year’s MLK March was cancelled due to icy conditions. This year is expected to be quite cold—perhaps in the low 20s—but not wet.  

Also, on Wednesday, the San Antonio Police Department announced that drones will not be allowed at the event.

In a statement, officials said that due to the heightened security concerns surrounding drones throughout the United States, police would temporarily restrict the use of drones at the MLK March on Monday, in compliance with State law.

This restriction was authorized to enhance public safety and support police operations during the special event.

The SAPD said any drone use at the event would be prohibited, and the temporary restriction will be enforced.

Steve Short contributed to this report.

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Jack Morgan can be reached at jack@tpr.org and on Twitter at @JackMorganii