The streets were closed in downtown meridian, for the dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day celebration on Monday. The parade is now in it’s 18th year, according to charter committee member Barbara Tingle. “It’s awesome. It’s been awesome because we know that we need people that will do some volunteering in order for our young people to be helped," Tingle said Glenda Thomas was the program speaker for the event. And she was both honored and shocked to be a part of the celebration. “

First Union Missionary Baptist Church has stood as a doorway to Meridian’s past for many years. 125 years to be exact. The congregation recently held their celebration of the milestone, and reverend Melvin Hendricks says that the history of the church is important. #FirstUnionMissionaryBaptistChurch #MLK #DrMartinLutherKing

First Union Missionary Baptist Church, once considered the headquarters of civil rights activities among Meridian churches, is celebrating a rich history that began 125 years ago. “Everything that happened in the black community seemed to have started at this church. The first head start in the city started here. The first black bank in this city started here,” Pastor Melvin Hendricks said. The church also had a unique relationship with prominent civil rights leaders. “The ci