Elizabethtown march up MLK Drive delivers message

ELIZABETHTOWN — Young and old, black and white.

Some appearing to be of modest to little means, others a bit more well to do.

Approximately 100 people, most of whom marched up MLK Drive, gathered in the parking lot of Fresh Foods off Poplar Street on Monday evening. They came grieving the loss of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, and they came to make a difference going forward.

“Black lives matter,” said one African-American man coming forward from the crowd at one juncture. “All lives matter.”

Pastor Corey Lyons, who leads First Missionary Baptist Church as well as the West Bladen Chapter of the NAACP, organized the march and guided dialogue in the parking lot. He allowed others to speak, and he led the group in taking a knee for about nine minutes — the same amount of time a white police officer in Minnesota pressed his knee into the neck of the handcuffed Floyd, a black man, until he quit breathing.

His death a week ago to the day of this protest has sparked peaceful protests as well as civil unrest across the nation.

“We’re a different generation fighting the same fight,” Lyons told those gathered.

He praised the group that came for many reasons, including their varied backgrounds and their resolve to assemble peacefully and get across the message. Lyons acknowledged both the meaningful peaceful protests and the civil unrest that has ripped at the heart of America.

“There were those who thought it could not happen peacefully without any riots breaking out,” he said before leading the march back to the Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy where it began. “There were those who thought it could not happen without any looting taking place. There were those who thought it could not happen without any cars getting burned or broken into, but as you can see, we proved them wrong. This is the way to do it. Although, I understand the riots. I understand the rage. I understand the anger.

“As a matter of fact, I think Dr. Martin Luther King said it best, ‘Riots are the voice of the unheard.’ And there are those who felt like they have not been heard, so that’s why they resorted to riots. I get it, I understand, but that’s just not the message I would say. Like we did it today, that’s how we choose to do it, more peacefully. So I’m grateful for everybody — black, white, whoever came out I’m thankful for their presence.”

As they moved up MLK Drive, they chanted the names of many who died and are synonymous with hashtags and human rights movements such as Black Lives Matter. Names were on signs, as were calls for justice and peace. They were watched by some who parked along the road, others who waited and joined them in the Fresh Foods parking lot.

Some of the names they called died at the hands of lawmen, others were killed by fellow civilians. Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin were among several they called that have drawn attention nationwide.

Lennon Lacy was another they chanted, and he was one of Bladen County’s own.

“It just brought back memories of that time, when I was scared for my life,” John Bowen said of his reaction to hearing Lacy’s name as the group moved past Martin Luther King Park.

Bowen, a rising senior on the UNC Wilmington basketball team, was a year behind him at West Bladen High School when Lacy was found having been hung from a swing set Aug. 29, 2014. Both were athletes at West Bladen, neighbors in Bladenboro, friends who hung out together regularly.

“But also,” Bowen continued, “it was a sense of peace knowing that we’re marching in his name as well. We’re making his name heard because we haven’t forgotten. It’s been years since this happened, but it’s still heavy in our hearts. We won’t ever forget what happened. We’re going to fight for justice for him as well as the black men that perished during this time.”

State and local investigations ruled Lacy committed suicide, that there were no signs of foul play. His family disagreed, as did a great many in the community.

Bowen said racism is real in Bladen County. And he was pleased for the initiative of the march.

“I think it’s the right way that we’re doing it,” he said. “Peaceful protests. We want peace and prosperity, so we’re going to demonstrate that in a peaceful way. What happened to George Floyd, and for years of black lives, years of oppression, it has got to come to an end.

“I’m glad for what we’re doing here in Bladen County, because I’ve experienced it personally in Bladen County for many years. I’m glad to see us finally taking a stand together, as unity, as one nation under God.”

Asante Jones of Clarkton agrees with Bowen on race relations in the county. She proudly wore a T-shirt that bore a clinched fist formed by names — hundreds of them — being remembered in the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I think there’s a little racism in Bladen County, I really do. Not a little, maybe a lot,” she said when asked specifically about race relations here. “And I’ve noticed that since I’ve been here. I’ve had some issues, but I’ve dealt with my issues in my own way, instead of causing a bunch of confusion. And I did it the right way. So, this is the right way. We’re starting out the right way, we’re going to try to continue to do it the right way.”

She said it was encouraging to see multiple races marching and kneeling, and to see law enforcement. She pointed out Sheriff Jim McVicker, Elizabethtown Police Chief Tony Parrish and three members of his department. Quintin McGee, chief prosecutor of District Attorney Jon David’s Bladen County office, also participated.

“I’m really encouraged about the police, the sheriff. I’m proud of him,” Jones said. “I think that’s awesome that they’re out here to help us, to try to get things right. Especially around here in this county. Because we need help here.”