The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights invites you for a walk up Capitol Avenue in Frankfort to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1964 March on Frankfort - a momentous event that helped spur passage of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, outlawing discrimination in Kentucky.
The five-block procession will end at the capitol for a special ceremony led by the commission and featuring Sen. Georgia Davis Powers (one of the original 1964 march organizers) and others. Those who can't join in the walk, can go directly to the capitol to await the commemorative ceremony.
The event is planned for Wednesday, March 3. Walkers should assemble at the intersection of Capitol Avenue and Fourth Street starting at 9 a.m. The walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. The ceremony will follow either in the capitol rotunda or on the capitol steps depending on the size crowd we have. Bring your photo I.D. to be able to enter the capitol.
The city of Frankfort has
provided a parade pass and traffic patrol by police. Frankfort
Parks and Recreation will provide free parking and bus transportation
at Juniper Hill Park and Golf Course. Buses will begin bringing
people from the park at about 8:30 a.m. until about 9 a.m., to
drop them off at the Capitol Avenue starting point. Buses will
then wait in front
of the capitol to return people to their cars after the ceremony.
We are asking for a wide show of support to honor the event that occurred on March 5, 1964. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and baseball player Jackie Robinson, along with Kentucky Civil Rights activists, led 10,000 people to rally at the Kentucky State Capitol in a peaceful demonstration for a public accommodations bill. The bill was in committee at the time, and would have outlawed discrimination in the segregated stores, restaurants, theaters and businesses. The bill never made it out of committee that session, but the march had a huge impact, and helped lead to the passage of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act in 1966, making illegal, discrimination and segregation in Kentucky.
We hope you can join us. RSVP by calling Cynthia Fox at the commission at 502.595.4024 or 1.800.292.5566, or by email to Victoria.Dempsey@ky.gov. Also, if you or a loved one participated in the original walk, the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights would love to hear from you.