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Photos: Thousands Honor Martin Luther King Jr.'s Legacy At L.A.'s Kingdom Day Parade
South L.A.'s annual Kingdom Day Parade, billed as the nation's oldest and largest Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, drew an estimated 200,000 people to the streets on Monday. Congresswoman Maxine Waters served as the grand marshal for the parade, which is in its 32nd year.
There were elected officials, myriad marching bands, colorful floats and dance performances, but politics—unsurprisingly—remained front and center. This year's official theme was “Now More than Ever, We All Must Work Together,” and local leaders emphasized their support for the Affordable Care Act. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who represents the area, marched alongside county health workers holding an “Obamacare Works" sign, according to the L.A. Times.
"[King] stood for health care as a right, not a privilege," Ridley-Thomas said, according to ABC 7. The parade began at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Western Avenue before traveling west on King to Crenshaw Boulevard and then south on Crenshaw to Leimert Park.
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