NATCHEZ — Crowds of residents lined both sides of the Natchez street named for the legendary civil rights activist whose legacy they were celebrating Monday afternoon at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade.

Curtis Jones has lived in Natchez his whole life and brought his grandchildren to the parade to reinforce his teachings to them about being thankful for the freedoms he could not enjoy as a child.

“I tell them what Dr. King did for us and what it’s taken to get here today,” he said. “And that when I was a boy, I couldn’t go to any school I wanted to or drink from any water fountain I wanted to because of my skin color. I preach it to them.”

Jones’ grandchildren, Emmanuel and Landon Horton and Jeremy and Jasmine Ware, sat in the bed of a truck preparing for their favorite part of the parade — the mad dash for candy.

Jeremy, 12, said even though getting candy was the best part of the parade, he said he realized it represented more than just a day off from school and pockets full of treats.

“I know that because of (Dr. King) I get to go to school with all of my friends, all of them black and white together,” he said.

Jessica Gaines brought her sister, Jakeisha Shepherd, and her children, Emarion, Shakira and Christopher to see her daughter Breanna Shannon perform with the McLaurin Elementary’s MCL Steppers.

Gaines said she brings her children to the parade each year to remind them of their heritage.

“They need to remember Dr. King helped give us the right, as black people, to be free and helped us come together so we could be treated equally,” she said.

Gaines said she hopes area events such as the parade remind Natchezians they are part of one community.

“We, both black and white, need to stand together as one,” she said.

Mary Beamon said she believes the most important function of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in Natchez and across the nation is to educate young people on the sacrifices King made for them.

“These children need to know what Dr. King did for them and their families,” she said.

Josephine Green proudly wore a T-shirt displaying the faces of King and President Obama and text from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Green brought her daughter, Tiffiney, and her granddaughters, Taliyah Jones, Tamia Green and Aaliyah Proby to the parade.

Taliyah, 11, said she watched a movie about King Sunday night that taught her a lot about the man she was celebrating at the parade.

“I learned he didn’t use violence, he just spoke, and that’s what led the people,” she said. “I know he died before I was even born to help me get freedom, and it makes me feel happy and proud.”