HOUSTON – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has a simple goal for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day: "Houston should be known for celebrating the best and biggest MLK Day parade.”
While this may be the desire of Turner, the fact remains that there will be two prominent parades on Monday. The first is the MLK Parade, presented by the Black Heritage Society and backed by the city in downtown. The second is the MLK Grande Parade, which is smaller but known to attract a crowd, as well as politicians.
Dr. Richard Johnson first volunteered for the Grande Parade more than 25 years ago. Back then, he said, "It was very small, with great people.”
It is a parade that Turner and other city mayors have attended in the past, but not this year.
“Once the mayor made a decision to choose one parade and to say, 'I’m going to throw all of the city’s support behind one parade and resources,' that made it political," Johnson said.
Turner’s spokesperson said the mayor is only attending the city-backed parade, featuring Rep. John Lewis and the Astros' George Springer, both of whom are serving as grand marshals. The city's parade will be downtown.
The Grande Parade will be a few blocks away in midtown.
A spokesperson for the city tells Channel 2, "Mayor Turner is focused only on the unified parade showcasing Houston’s unity and diversity. It will be the city’s tribute to Dr. King’s life and legacy."