Houstonians of many generations came out to celebrate MLK

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two Houston parades honored Martin Luther King Jr. Day: the 39th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade in Downtown and the 23rd Annual MLK Grande parade.

Houstonians of many generations came out to celebrate.

One of them was Alpheus Moss. Moss lived through the Civil Rights Movement.

"You think about all the lives lost in fighting for the racial problems in the 50s and 60s and prior," say Moss.

RELATED: Houstonians honor legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sandra Tezino came out with her twin boys for their tenth year to teach them about history.

"We come out to honor a great man, and I want them to understand the struggles they went through and he went through to be at this parade today," says Tezino.

Cedric Banks started bringing his 13-year-old when he was just a baby.

"I wanted him to learn about civil rights and treating people equally," adds Banks.

Now, as their children grow older, they have their own takeaway of what Martin Luther King Jr. means to them.

"He helped black people have freedom," says 12-year-old Mike Davis.

"I feel united. I feel proud to be who I am," says Jaden Banks, 13.

And that message of unity is one our Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo was happy to support today at the MLK Grande Parade.

"It's an opportunity for everyone, and without the dream of one man - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - I certainly wouldn't be here as the police chief her in the fourth largest city in the country," says Chief Acevedo.