Prerecorded MLK Day Parade Broadcast

Miami FL

20 January, 2021

8:36 AM

Description

By Selena Stanley, Miami Times Staff Writer Liberty City's 2021 MLK Day Parade was prerecorded and broadcast on WPLG Local 10./Via local10.com The North Miami Beach High School marching band competed against four other schools in the annual "Battle of the Bands" competition./Via local10.com, the Miami Times Jan 19, 2021 Liberty City's 44th Annual MLK Day Parade was viewed very differently this year. People across Miami-Dade tuned in from their homes on Monday afternoon to watch the colorful floats drive by on screens as they remembered the iconic civil rights leader's message. Broadcast on WPLG Local 10, the parade looked similar to ones past at first glance. Ornate floats full of balloons, streamers, props and glitter filled the street, along with music and animated performers. However, the key difference was apparent after taking a closer look. This year's parade was prerecorded and there were no cheering crowds on the sidewalks. Channel 10 anchors Calvin Hughes and Nicole Perez hosted the online event and addressed how things were going to be a little different. Hughes said that although we'd be celebrating this year "pandemic style," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message endures and should be honored no matter what. "Of course the parade usually happens on 54th Street with thousands of families lining the streets," he said. "That could not happen this year, but you're still going to see it all." The broadcast switched between footage of this year's parade floats, the preparation that went into them, clips from last year's event and various performances. Notable moments of the broadcast included a dance routine by The Caribbean Dancers and a tightrope showcase by the UniverSoul Circus. The event's signature "Battle of the Bands" was also prerecorded and featured marching band performances from Florida Memorial University, Miami Northwestern High School, North Miami Beach High School and Miami Central High School. All of the bands were thankful for the chance to compete against each other this year. "You know, with some of our kids, it affects them because this is their community. Some of them have been marching in this parade for over eight years, since they were in middle and elementary school," said Chad Norton, band director at Miami Northwestern High School. "This chance is great." The broadcast ended by providing history and context about how important MLK Day is in Miami, including a presentation of images showing King lounging at Historic Hampton House. Many historians believe King practiced his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech during his last stay at the Miami hotel. Hughes quoted King, saying, "The time is always right to do what's right." That seemed to be the sentiment held by those involved in the parade. The show must go on, and that's exactly what happened with this year's broadcast presentation. The Miami Times is the largest Black-owned newspaper in the south serving Miami's Black community since 1923. The award-winning weekly is frequently recognized as the best Black newspaper in the country by the National Newspaper Publishers Association.