Savannah Celebrates MLK Day with 44th Annual Parade Amid Road Closures

SAVANNAH, Ga. — The 44th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Day Parade will take place Monday morning in downtown Savannah, drawing large crowds and prompting several road closures. Organized by the Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Day Association, the event honors the life and legacy of the civil rights leader.

The parade begins at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Liberty and East Broad streets, winding through downtown before concluding at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Anderson Street. Attendees are advised to prepare for cold temperatures and significant traffic disruptions.

Key road closures include East Broad Street from Gwinnett to Broughton (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), Broughton Street from East Broad to MLK Jr. Boulevard (10 a.m. to 4:35 p.m.), and MLK Jr. Boulevard from Broughton to Anderson (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.).

In addition to the parade, communities across South Georgia are hosting events to commemorate MLK Day. In Albany, the H.E.A.R.T. Organization, Inc. will hold its 45th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Program and Breakfast at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, starting at 7:30 a.m. The event is sponsored by Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company.

SOWEGA Rising is organizing a walk, rally, and program under the theme “Mission Possible,” focusing on protecting freedom, justice, and democracy through nonviolence. The event kicks off at Shiloh Baptist Church on Monday morning.

Other initiatives include a Fresh Produce Giveaway in Americus, hosted by Phoebe Sumter, Flint River Fresh, Graceful Hands, and Calvary Episcopal Church, and a pre-celebration event in Camilla featuring a historical presentation on early Black history in Mitchell County.

Moultrie will also host its 38th Anniversary MLK Jr. Parade on Jan. 20, with the theme “All In: Lifting Every Voice.” The parade begins at 2 p.m. in downtown Moultrie.