Slideshow: 2014 Marade to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Mike Lamp
· Jan. 20, 2014, 11:44 pm
Photo: CPR/Mike Lampu0026lt;pu0026gt;The monument to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as day breaks on January, 20, 2014, just hours before thousands attended the annual MLK Day u0026#039;Maradeu0026#039; to commemorate Kingu0026#039;s work.u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn
(Photo: CPR/Mike Lamp)u0026lt;pu0026gt;An organizer of this yearu0026#039;s u0026#039;Maradeu0026#039; organizes flowers at the base of the monument to Martin Luther King, Jr.u0026nbsp;u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn
Photo: CPR/Mike Lampu0026lt;pu0026gt;The Monument to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as the sun rose on January 20, 2014, shortly before the annual ceremony commemorating his life and work.u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn
(Photo: CPR/Mike Lamp)u0026lt;pu0026gt;The crowd begins to gather in Denveru0026#039;s City Park for the speeches in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on January 20, 2014, MLK Day.u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn
(Photo: CPR/Mike Lamp)u0026lt;pu0026gt;Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper speaks to those gathered for Denveru0026#039;s annual u0026#039;Maradeu0026#039;, organized to commemorate the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on January 20, 2014. Also attending were Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), far left, and Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, third from left. u0026nbsp;Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), in Broncos cap is at far right.u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn
(Photo: CPR/Mike Lamp)u0026lt;pu0026gt;Denver Mayor Michael Hancock speaks at the annual u0026#039;Maradeu0026#039; on January 20, 2014 commemorating the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. u0026nbsp;To the left of the Mayor is Representative Mike Coffman (R-CO).u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn
(Photo: CPR/Mike Lamp)
(Photo: CPR/Mike Lamp)u0026lt;pu0026gt;The annual u0026#039;Maradeu0026#039; (part march, part parade) begins on its way from the MLK monument in Denveru0026#039;s City Park to the Civic Center Park downtown on January 20, 2014. u0026nbsp;The u0026#039;Maradeu0026#039; is a celebration of the work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.u0026nbsp;u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn
(Photo: CPR/Mike Lamp)u0026lt;pu0026gt;Some of the participants in Denveru0026#039;s annual u0026#039;Maradeu0026#039; (January 20, 2014) celebrating the life and work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. u0026nbsp;They were marching from the MLK Monument in City Park to Denveru0026#039;s Civic Center Park downtown.u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn
(Photo: CPR/Mike Lamp)u0026lt;pu0026gt;Thousands of participants in Denveru0026#039;s annual march/parade, or u0026#039;Maradeu0026#039;, celebrating the life and work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 20, 2014, marching along The Esplanade in front of East High School on their way to Denveru0026#039;s Civic Center Park downtown.u0026nbsp;u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn
(Photo: CPR/Mike Lamp)u0026lt;pu0026gt;Thousands of participants in Denveru0026#039;s annual u0026#039;Maradeu0026#039; march/parade down Colfax Ave on their way from the MLK Monument in City Park to Civic Center Park on January 20, 2014, in celebration of the work and life of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.u0026nbsp;u0026lt;/pu0026gt;rn

Thousands of people gathered at City Park for music, prayers and speeches, before walking to Civic Center near the State Capitol.

Along with remembering King, many were celebrating the Denver Bronco’s conference championship and trip to the Super Bowl.   Mayor Michael Hancock raised a cheer for the Broncos, and urged the crowd to stay active in the effort for civil rights.

“Unlike what we all did last night yesterday with 77 thousand people in the stadium, millions more at home watching the game, the civil rights movement was not a spectator sport,” Hancock said.

Others at the speakers’ podium included Governor John Hickenlooper, members of Colorado’s congressional delegation, and former Denver First Lady Wilma Webb.  As a member of the legislature, Webb pushed for a state holiday honoring King. The holiday became law 30 years ago, in 1984.

“When we first started out, we didn’t know what to expect on the first Martin Luther King official holiday,” Webb said. “We were just hoping and praying that people would come. And when we got down to Broadway and turned around, there were more than ten to 15 thousand people there.”

The crowd has grown in three decades.  Organizers this year were hoping attendance would top 60,000. Denver’s combined march and parade, called the “Marade” is now one of the largest MLK events in the nation.

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