Ten-year-old Mahogany Bailey walked up Pennsylvania Avenue Monday morning with a group of children in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. march.

Several in the small group carried signs that had a likeness of King and the phrase "Dr. King Had a Dream So Now I Am Better Able to Realize My Own."

"He risked his life to save us," Bailey said. "So I am able to represent, to remember, what he has done for us."

Bailey and her group of peers were among hundreds of Moore County residents who participated in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration that began with a march through downtown Southern Pines and concluded with a program at Southern Pines Primary School.

Several groups in the parade carried banners, and others held signs honoring King's memory and his legacy.

"It's the right thing to do, to remember Dr. Martin Luther King," David Ray said.

As marchers moved up Pennsylvania Avenue, several residents watched from the sidewalk and in front of homes and businesses. Many waved and shouted to marchers they knew.

Barbara and Ken Purcell, owners of Purcell Funeral Home, offered a fried fish lunch and cold water to marchers. Both were excited to see so many young people involved in the celebration.

"It's important to bring our young people up and let them know where we came from," Barbara Purcell said. "This is not where we were 30 years ago, and they have to see where their roots are to know the legacy Martin Luther King left for us."

Felton Capel was pleased to see a diverse group marching.

"To have this mixed group here - all different positions and all different races - trying to help us remember the thoughts and dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King means a lot," Capel said. "This is a great thrill for me. I think this is just a wonderful showing of where we have come from to where we are today."

The march was followed by a program, "Yesterday's Dream, Tomorrow's Reality."

The program featured guest speaker Ken Lewis, a lawyer and U.S. Senate candidate, and numerous other performances and readings. Lewis told members of the audience hat times are very different than the 1960s, and while much has been gained for equal rights, more must be done by everyone - not just blacks.

"We know that the work is not done," Lewis said. "Great disparities still exist in every aspect of life, and those disparities are not just the problem of the African-American community. Those disparities are a problem for the entire nation."

Lewis credited the civil rights movement with giving him a better opportunity to get the best education possible. He said that in order to realize King's dream America must celebrate its diversity and recognize the value of its great resources - including its children.

"We can't afford to have any child not have the best opportunity," Lewis said.

He reminded members of the audience that hard work is key to making any dream a reality.

"Progress only happens when we have a vision of the future and are willing to work on that behalf," Lewis said.

The program also featured performances from the Sandhills Community College gospel choir, poetry from Latoya Lambert, a praise dance by Tracey Morman and readings about the life of King from area youth.

The program was presented by the Moore County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Minority Male Mentoring Program of Sandhills Community College.

The songs by the choir, the reading by Lambert and the performance by Morman had many in the crowd standing, clapping and cheering.

The program concluded with the song "We Shall Overcome."

Contact Tom Embrey at (910) 693-2484 or by e-mail at tembrey@thepilot.com.