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ZEBULON - The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. allows us to commemorate and honor the life, legacy and impact he has on our lives. We are following the mission of the King’s Center, which is to empower people to create a just, humane, equitable and peaceful world by applying Dr. King’s nonviolent philosophy and methodology via Nonviolence 365.

The National holiday for the Chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement was first signed into law November 2, 1983 and was first observed nationally on January 20, 1986. However, Pike County has celebrated Dr. King and his accomplishments for 55 years which was founded by Mrs. Mary Alexander.

Martin Luther King Day is the only federal holiday designated as National Day of Service to encourage all to volunteer their service to improve their communities. Our community project for 2025 is to take the youth and journey down to the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home Family Care Ministry. We will do art and crafts with the families.

The Pike County MLK Committee cordially invites everyone to the 2025 MLK parade and program on January 20, 2025 starting at 10:00. The theme for this year is "Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice and Democracy." The parade line up starts at 9:00AM and the program starts at 11:30AM at Fuller Chapel United Methodist Church. There is no parade fee.

The Grand Marshal is Rev. Rufus Clemmons

Rev. Rufus Clemmons, Jr, is a native and resident of Pike County, GA along with his wife Vanessa and five children. Rev. Clemmons is a member of the Mt. Hope Baptist Church where he serves as an Associate Minister. He is most well-known to our community as the former Director of Pike County’s first Boys & Girls Club where he and his staff led the youth of Pike County to national recognition from the Boys & Girls Club of America. Rev. Clemmons, who also received national recognition, is now a published author and self-employed as an Independent Contractor within his own organization Rufus Clemmons Jr Legacy, LLC. With this organization, he provides programs, services, and resources for the state and local agencies regarding leadership, Christian counseling, youth development, parenting, mental health, trauma, and/or substance abuse. Rev. Clemmons, a 2010 Pike County Martin Luther King Day Torch Bearer Award recipient who was mentored by Charles Burden and the late John Hollis, has been working and serving on several local boards in our community for many years. He also has his own nonprofit organizations Hope 4 Tomorrow, Inc. and the Hope 4 Tomorrow Optimist Club of Pike County, where both strive along with its members to bring optimism throughout communities by providing hope in bringing out the best in our youth, our community, and oneself. He was recently awarded Distinguish Lt. Governor in his District and chosen along with 14 others that serve Internationally to take part in the Optimist Leadership Academy. While Rev. Rufus Clemmons, Jr. is appreciative of this honor of being this year’s Grand Marshal and all that he has achieved up to this point in his life by the Grace of God, Rev. Clemmons states that he just wants to be known and remembered as a Servant-Leader trying to live a life that is pleasing to God, helping someone along the way, so that God may get the Glory, and his living will not be in vain.

The Guest Speaker for the program is Pastor Robert V. Gabriel of the Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Molena, GA.

Pastor Robert V. Gabriel is the son of the late Rev. Robie and Wilahamenia C. Gabriel. He was born September 15, 1976 in Florence, South Carolina. He is the youngest of five children. He is a product of a Christian household with an emphasis on prayer and faith.

Pastor Gabriel was converted and baptized at an early age. He is born again and filled with the Holy Ghost with signs following. His late father was his teacher, preacher, and advisor. It was through his instruction the basis of his spiritual foundation was laid. He continued his walk with the Lord as a disciple until he answered the call into the ministry. He was trained by his pastor and father for six months before entering the pulpit to preach his initial sermon at the Aimwell Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Gabriel is a product of Florence School District One. He is a 1995 Graduate of Wilson High School. He graduated with a cumulative 3.0 GPA. He matriculated to Morris College in Sumter, SC. He majored in Pastoral Ministry and graduated in 2000 as a Cum Laude. Pastor Gabriel was active in student government, peer counselor, dormitory leadership, and recognized by Who’s Who 2000 edition.

Pastor Gabriel is the proud pastor of the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church Molena, GA. He is the immediate past pastor of the Jerusalem Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. He has served that congregation faithfully for nine years. Pastor Gabriel’s personal vision is to have the Bible be the guiding principle in his life and in the life of others. To accomplish this he desires to make the Bible become the church’s textbook and book of text. His motto is “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) Pastor Gabriel has served in numerous capacities in the local association and the state convention in South Carolina. He has served as Secretary of the Chesterfield County Association, Assistant Dean of Kingston Lake Congress of Christian Education, Dean of the Kingston Lake Congress of Christian Education, and Instructor for the South Carolina Congress of Christian Education. He is a member of the National Baptist Convention USA Inc.

Pastor Gabriel is the proud father of his one and only daughter Ja’Niaja Rakima Gabriel.

Pastor Gabriel moved to Atlanta in 2022. He was led by the Holy Spirit to continue his spiritual matriculation to join the Greater Ephesus Missionary Baptist Church, where the Rev. Dr. M. Davis is the pastor.

To climax the 2025 celebration, the committee is working on a banquet to be held in April 2025. We look forward to seeing everyone.