ferriday &8212;Martin Luther King Day celebrants had a lot of activities to indulge in Monday, and they didn&8217;t let the threat of rain stop them.

In the morning, residents gathered at the Doty Road bridge for the annual march to Rose Hill Baptist Church.

The sky was overcast and a light sprinkle fell before the march was done, but the 50-person group forged on without concern.

The group said a prayer before entering Rose Hill for a special program honoring Rosa Parks, who died Oct. 25.

Members of the church community, under the direction of Delores Thomas, re-enacted the funeral of the woman credited with launching the modern civil rights movement.

On Dec. 1 1955, Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, leading to her arrest. King was drawn to the city, where he helped plan and encourage the 381-day bus boycott.

&8220;We honor Dr. King by remembering Rosa Parks,&8221; Carolyn Spurs said in introduction.

Michael Meredith, an eighth-grader at Ferriday Junior High School, channeled Rev. Jesse Jackson, reciting the 23rd Psalm and saying to Parks&8217; stand-in coffin, &8220;you have done God&8217;s will.&8221;

Meredith, 13, said earlier in the morning he thought it was important to honor the day.

&8220;He did a lot for African-Americans,&8221; he said. &8220;He gave African-Americans the opportunity to be the same as whites.&8221;

Young church members Joshua Conner, Janita Carr, Kenya Cauley, Danterrio Hogan, Aleisha Wiley, Tanniccha Meredith and JaMarrius Hunt played the roles of the other major figures from the funeral.

Regular church member Hattie Bethley performed as Aretha Franklin, singing Mahalia Jackson&8217;s &8220;Soon I&8217;ll be done.&8221;

Ferriday Mayor Gene Allen stepped in for an absentee to play the role of Julian Bond and deliver the eulogy.

&8220;We have come a long ways, but we have a long way to go,&8221; Allen-as-Bond said.

The afternoon saw the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People take to the streets after a 40-year hiatus.

Rev. Justin Conner, president of the NAACP&8217;s Concordia &8212; soon to be Greater Concordia &8212; Catahoula &8212; chapter, led the march from the old policed station on Tennessee Avenue and Second Street to First Baptist Church on Second Street.

Robert &8220;Buck&8221; Lewis had been scheduled to lead the tour but was unable to attend.

Conner, bullhorn in hand, led the small but eager group past the old city hall, over Louisiana Avenue and down to Mt. Beulah Baptist Church, stopping along the way to explain the import of each place.

The march was done to honor the courage of the people who marched in 1966 for

solidarity against fear.

At First Baptist, speakers included Rosie Elaine and Alderman Jerome Harris, who both participated in the 1966 march.

&8220;I know back (then) the street was full of people who weren&8217;t afraid,&8221; Elaine said.

Gregory Griggs, who was 10 when he marched, remembered there being plenty to be afraid of, but the unity of the movement calmed nerves.

&8220;Solidarity got us through it, people coming together,&8221; he said.

Keynote speaker Sam Thomas of Tallulah said, &8220;my standing here today is a result of his contribution to our history.&8221;

All of the speakers agreed that, while the community has come a long way &8212; and is well served by remembering its history &8212; people needed to stay together if they hoped to prosper in the future.

Harris, the only alderman present, said he was disappointed in the turnout.

&8220;It&8217;s a great day to celebrate, and there should be more people out,&8221; Harris said. &8220;He gave his life for this cause.&8221;

Allen attended the First Baptist program, the only elected official to make it to both events.

To start the day, the Louisiana Delta Service Corps brought cheer to the residents of Heritage Manor Health and Rehab Center of Ferriday.

Ten corps team members handed out close to 95 baskets of fruit to residents.

&8220;I think it is very nice of them to come,&8221; Betty Howington. &8220;We can always eat fruit.&8221;

Team members work for Delta Corps &8212; a branch of AmeriCorps run through the Lt. Governor&8217;s office &8212; for either one or two years. The program either helps them repay their college loans or finance any current education.

During their stint with the corps, they work in community service-oriented programs like tutoring.

Jennifer Brown, a nursing student at Northwestern State University School of Nursing, is fulfilling her commitment to Delta Corps by working in patient assistance at the Sicily Island Medical Center.

&8220;This teaches responsibility and how to work with patients; it&8217;s good on-the-job training,&8221; she said.

Other team members are studying for careers in criminal justice and education.