MLK honored in Poplar Bluff

A group walks up Business 60 at the Black River Saturday during the memorial dedication of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Highway.

DAR/Jonathon Dawe

On a brisk, chilly Saturday morning, a chorus of voices echoed down Business Highway 60 in Poplar Bluff as several people — many walking hand in hand — marched from B Street, west on Business Highway 60 to the Butler County Courthouse; and a familiar refrain: “We will overcome...” reverberated.

Saturday marked the official recognition and ceremony of the memorial dedication of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway in Poplar Bluff.

“This isn’t something that happened overnight,” Butler County NAACP President Michele Webb explained. “They say it takes a village, and it truly does. This project involved people from the municipal level, to state officials and everyone working together to make this happen.”

Webb was referring to the portion of Business Highway 60/Pine Street from B street to Westwood Boulevard being dedicated the “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Highway.” Pine Street’s name remains unchanged but this portion is dedicated to MLK Jr. in a memorial status, officials have said.

The crowd gathered outside the Butler County Courthouse for the dedication ceremony immediately following the march to the courthouse. Bishop Ron Webb gave the invocation and Rep. Hardy Billington briefly spoke to the crowd regarding the completion of the project. Poplar Bluff City Council member Robert Smith then read the dedication of the highway to the crowd.

Earlier in the day, many of the same people attended the 38th annual community celebration of the life of Martin Luther King Jr., at Wheatley School in Poplar Bluff. During that event, Sheila Sotolong spoke to the crowd regarding the words of King; and she reminded everyone that complete unity is the ultimate goal.

Michele Webb echoed those same sentiments.

“That’s the reason this project was so important,” Michele Webb explained. “Dr. King spoke about unity. He spoke about everyone coming together and working together. And Dr. King understood that, without unity we fall apart. We’re only as strong as our weakest link.”