BETHLEHEM, Pa. — City and county officials on Tuesday unveiled a new addition to Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park in Bethlehem, recognizing founders of the city’s annual MLK Day march.
- City and county officials on Tuesday unveiled a new monument in Bethlehem's Martin Luther King Jr. Park
- The new monument, located between existing memorials to Martin Luther King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, recognizes founders of the city's MLK annual memorial march
- The guest of honor was Frankie West, who started the march 30 years ago
Between two stone monuments honoring Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, is a new plaque listing participants in the first Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Movement March, now an annual event.
Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds, along with Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure and Lehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong, praised guest of honor Frankie West, who put together the first march in 1993.
“Frankie, one of the things that is special about you, and what you've done, is you've been able to bring our community together,” Reynolds said. “We are here to unveil a testament to that devotion.”
“Thank you for keeping the spirit of Dr. King alive here in the city of Bethlehem.”Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure, speaking to Frankie West
As McClure presented West with a certificate of achievement from the county, he told West, “Thank you for keeping the spirit of Dr. King alive here in the city of Bethlehem.”
West said there's “a lot of history on this” new plaque. “It’s 30 years of people that people don’t realize have been involved with this march and kept me going.”
In particular, he cited the influence of Vivian Butts, Bethlehem’s first Black police officer, whose name is among those listed.
"She took part in the march until she died,” West said.
“I’m going to try to keep this [march] going as long as I can,” he said. “It’s not about the adults, it’s about the kids. That's what Dr. Martin Luther King wants: us to come together and make our youth better.”
