WILSON CO., Tenn. (WTVF) — After more than ten years of silence, the Wilson County Branch of the NAACP is reclaiming its voice.
“We started to realize that voter turnout was really low, especially in the black community, and what we decided to do was we started to figure out what we needed to do to change that,” explained President Dion Jones. “And we started to inquire about why there wasn't an NAACP chapter here, only to find out that we needed to reinstate it.”
Their first set of events is in honor of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On Monday, the group marched 1.5 miles for unity.
As they listened to his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered 61 years ago, it still resonates with those walking today.
“It takes all of us to do the work to make sure that everybody has a voice,” explained Jones. “And everybody is represented, and we have equality and equity in our rights across the board.”
Despite the chilly winter weather, leaders were happy to see the community unite.
“The march is still on, and even though it's 11 degrees, it's a great day to come out and show your support,” said Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto. “It's a very diverse group of people that are here today that have bound together to remember what he stood for and to continue that legacy here in our county today, in 2025.”
For the newly reinstated chapter, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision was worth honoring, even despite the cold.
“The sacrifice that we're making to be in the cold today pales in comparison to the sacrifices that they made,” added Jones.
Dion says anyone is allowed to join the organization, click here to learn more.
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-Carrie Sharp
