2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Parade Held In Tulsa

The Tulsa Martin Luther King Jr. parade was held Saturday after cold weather forced organizers to reschedule in January.

Despite the change, organizers expected thousands of people in downtown Tulsa for the event.

This event, in its 45th year, is all about celebrating Dr. King's life and legacy, and organizers say it's among the largest in the nation as far as participation. 

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. was the grand marshal. 

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Rows of floats and marchers await their moment as timeless words echo through the street that bears the speaker's name.

“We chose the quote 'Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that, Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that,'" said Alex Paschal with the Ed Darby Foundation. 

It was important for Paschal’s float to display a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at this year’s MLK Parade in Tulsa.

“Everything he shared is so timeless. He obviously lived in a time where he was trying to make a change and now in 2024, we still have a long way to go,” she said. 

She says the parade is a spectacular tribute to Dr. King and all he fought for.

“It is a wonderful way that Tulsa comes together and we really love to be a part of all that it symbolizes and bringing kids out to see the legacy he left for all of us to remember all these years later,” she said.

“Don’t have the ice today, which is great…it's a little chilly," said Chris Payne, who is on the parade board.

He says some dangerous January weather caused safety concerns, which got in the way of their original plans.

“We did have to reschedule because on MLK day which was when it was originally scheduled, icy weather was expected,” he said. 

But, Paschal doesn’t mind the date change.

“So many volunteers come together to do this wonderful, wonderful event so I think many of us are just proud to be here, the fact that it's a couple weeks later is just fine,” she said. 

She believes Dr. King's message deserves to be celebrated no matter the date.

“May it live on, and may we all celebrate and continue to learn and grow from the things he taught us,” she said. 

A commemorative service will be held on February 25th at the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.