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Debra Joshua marches in the 45th Martin Luther King Jr. Grand Parade through Downtown Jacksonville on Monday. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

BIT OF JOY | Martin Luther King Day parade

By Will Brown
Published on January 20, 2026 at 11:28 am
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Jacksonville’s 45th Martin Luther King Grand Parade yesterday drew scores of school groups, dance troupes, churches and unions, as well as representation from some of Jacksonville’s largest employers. Hundreds lined the streets to celebrate a man who championed equality and inclusion until his life was taken in his 39th year. King, who said privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily and the oppressed must demand freedom, was honored by Jacksonville leaders including Mayor Donna Deegan and Sheriff T.K. Waters. Other local observances to honor the slain civil rights icon included Friday’s Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast, where Linnie Hilliard Finley of the Jacksonville Urban League received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Biscayne Elementary fifth grader Raquel Watson; Westview seventh grader Jordan Taylor; and Westside High freshman Janea White were named 2026 Tomorrow’s Leaders. On Saturday, more than 500 people participated in the United Way of Northeast Florida’s Day of Service. And on Monday, hundreds participated in a breakfast and silent march through St. Augustine.

author image Reporter email Will Brown is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Will Brown is a reporter and photographer focusing on issues related to race and inequality, as well as sports and photography. He originally joined Jacksonville Today as a Report for America corps member. Will previously reported for the Jacksonville Business Journal, The St. Augustine Record, Victoria (Texas) Advocate and the Tallahassee Democrat. His accolades over his nearly 20-year career include photography for the Health News Florida’s national Murrow Award-winning series “Committed: How and Why Children Became the Fastest Growing Group Under Florida’s Baker Act.” Brown is a graduate of Florida A&M University and has a master’s from the University of South Florida. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and soccer. He lives in Clay County with his wife and son.

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