&uot;Keeping the dream alive&uot; was the theme of many Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities held throughout Natchez Monday.

For the more than 300 people of all ages that filled the Isle of Capri ballroom for a youth luncheon, that meant passing King’s legacy on to the younger generation.

Dr. Samuel White, president of the Natchez Association for the Preservation of African-American Culture which sponsored the event, believes local youth are up for the challenge.

&uot;We have some shining stars in Natchez and in southern Mississippi, but we can’t rest on our laurels. We’ve got to continue so they’ll be ready to meet the challenges,&uot; White said.

Sanquanett Jones, a Natchez High School student chosen as Mistress of Ceremonies for the luncheon, is one of those stars.

&uot;We all talk about keeping Dr. King’s dream alive, and I think that dream is about young people carrying on the good things he started,&uot; she said.

Classmate Pleezeta West said King’s message of unity is one she tries to implement in her everyday life. And just as King called for people to look beyond skin color, West said she thinks the same should be true for the day he is remembered.

&uot;That’s what people should look at,&uot; she said. &uot;It’s not just a day for Dr. King. It’s a day for the betterment of the community.&uot;

And waiting for the parade through downtown Natchez to begin, Christy Pyron and Gayle Robertson said the same.

&uot;(King) was for all of us being friends and getting along together,&uot; Pyron said. &uot;And that’s what we should be working toward.&uot;

It’s a message she intends to instill in her 3-year-old son, Shane.

Further up Franklin Street, Tammy Williams wants her daughter to remember King’s message of unity through peace.

And though the parade meant candy and noise to 3-year-old E’Keria, she knew the reason she was there.

&uot;He was our king,&uot; she said.