Pierce County’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day observances will be held January 17 and 19, 2026.
A program will be held 5 p.m. Saturday, January 17, at the Evergreen Church, 4100 Georgia Highway 32, Bristol.
The guest speaker will be Kedar K. Ismail, founder of the Law Offices of Kedar K. Ismail of Springfield, Massachusetts.
Ismail is the grandson of the late Katie Hall of Elizabeth, NJ, whose family roots are in Blackshear.
Ismail has family in Pierce County. He is the grandnephew of MLKParade Grand Marshal Mamie Jean Turner and of the late Lucy Goodman and Tommy Turner.
According to the MLK Committee, Ismail stands out for his innovation, courage and commitment to justice. He has earned a reputation for high-level courtroom advocacy while maintaining a strong focus on community engagement and equity. His work reflects a modern vision of legal practice—one that balances professional excellence with humanity and service.
Annual awards, including the grand marshal, citizen of the year and educator of the year, will be presented during the program.
The parade will be held 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19.
The parade will assemble 9 a.m. at the Board of Education Central Office on Main Street.
Parade chairman Isaac Moses asks the community to come and participate in the parade — and to be on time.
The parade will travel down Main Street to the Courthouse then turn left on to U.S. Highway 84. The parade will travel down Highway 84 and turn right on Ware Street and will disband at the Lee Street Resource Center.
For more information, contact, Isaac Moses at (912) 552-0118 (cell) or Jacqueline Moses at (912) 552-4243.
