photo by: Gage Vota

Community members make their way from the windmill atop Wheeling Hill to West Virginia Northern Community College for the annual Peace and Justice March in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

WHEELING — Snow and cold conditions couldn’t stop the community coming together on Sunday afternoon for the annual Interfaith March for Peace and Justice in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The march kicked off at the Windmill atop Wheeling Hill and ended at West Virginia Northern Community College.

Rabbi Joshua Lief, spiritual leader of Temple Shalom and Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee member said that the annual march has been occurring for decades and continues to mark the remembrance of King’s works.

“A host of people from across the community come together for this march. It’s a broad and diverse group of faith leaders, community leaders, educational folks from each of the colleges and universities in our community,” Lief said. “It’s really wonderful to see the wider community come together around a shared experience.”

He added that the march was not only for remembering King’s work but also standing up for the continual effort that is needed to bring justice to our world.

“If we believe that the world isn’t yet perfect, then getting it more so is up to us. Those who did in the past, like Dr. King serve as an inspiration. But if the work isn’t finished, we have to continue,” Lief said.

Ron Scott Jr., cultural diversity community outreach director for the Wheeling YWCA and the chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee, said that the annual march is about remembering the history that has taken place as well as the actions being taken moving forward.

“We’re marching not for any specific thing today, but we’re all marching to remember that this is what we do. We’re not marching to say that, you know, we won, everything is great now. We’re marching to say to the people that marched before us, we remember you,” Scott said.

He added that honoring Martin Luther King Jr. is not exclusive to any race or gender.

“I don’t want anyone to feel like this is anyway an exclusive sort of event. The dream of MLK was for everyone. Everyone benefited from it. So I want to make sure everyone knows they can participate in it as well,” Scott said.

photo by: Gage Vota

Wheeling resident Brenda J. Sparksman, left, holds her and her sister Linda Joyce Scott’s Rosa Parks Award as Wheeling resident Vincent DeGeorge holds his Dr. Martin Luther King award during a ceremony sunday at West Virginia Northern Community College’s downtown Wheeling campus.

Once participants reached the college, the celebration continued with Linda Joyce Scott and Brenda J. Sparksman being presented the Rosa Parks Award. The award was presented by Wanda Morgan.

Sparksman and Scott are twin sisters that Morgan said are rare to see one without the other. Due to the sisters fighting for social justice together, the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee ultimately chose to present the award to more than one person for the first time.

Scott was unable to attend due to being in the hospital.

Sparksman accepted the award on behalf of both her and her sister.

She said that to be mentioned in the same space as Rosa Parks is something she never imagined, and she and Scott accept the recognition with gratitude and responsibility.

“Our work has always been collectivism, grounded and shared values and mutual support. Rosa Parks was not allowed in her defiance, but she was unshakable in her courage. Her decision to remain seated was a simple act that called for extraordinary power,” Sparksman said. “It reminds us that change does not always begin with grand gestures, but with quiet strength, integrity and willingness to stand or sit and what’s right, even when it’s difficult. My sister and I have the privilege of working alongside strong, dedicated, Democratic women through our activism, our efforts and focus on participation, food giveaways and in peaceful protests, to reinforce our belief that change happens when people come together and use our voices and demand justice and respect.”

She added that she believes that activism feels more important now than ever.

“We’re witnessing changes in voting access, due process and civil rights protection that many have fought and sacrificed for, policies and court decisions that create fear and uncertainty in Black and Brown communities participating around immigration enforcement and risk racial profiling, these moments remind us why vigilance, advocacy and civic engagement still matters,” Sparksman said. “We are also seeing efforts to discredit diversity, equity and inclusion, framing them as unnecessary or harmful, rather than recognizing them as the tools for fairness and opportunity. At the same time, books are being banned, history is erased and limiting the ability of young people to learn, question and understand the full story of our nation. These actions do not strengthen democracy.”

She followed by saying that Rosa Parks once said that each person must live their lives as a model for others and that her ideology continues to inspire her.

Sparksman added that Parks’ words challenge her and others to look at their daily choices and how they treat others.

“Rosa Parks taught us progress is not automatic. It must be protected, defended and

carried forward by ordinary people who choose courage over conquer,” Sparksman said.

Vincent DeGeorge was then presented the Dr. Martin Luther King award by resident John Holloway.

DeGeorge gave a call to action, to community leaders to recommit to the NAACP and the Interfaith Council and to the general public to join a community of belief.

He said that he has looked up to Dr. King his entire life and is honored to receive the award.

DeGeorge said that he has had the opportunity to speak to former award winners and plans to take the accomplishment with as much prestige as they have.

He then referenced Dr. King’s 1967 speech “The Other America” that expressed the drastic differences between not only races in America but classes.

DeGeorge localized the “Two Americas” that Dr. King referenced in his speech saying that there are currently two Wheelings.

“One Wheeling there is prosperity and that is good. There is equal opportunity to work hard and succeed, equal rights and responsibilities of citizens. Freedom allowed by wealth flourishes here to vacation, to get sick, to enjoy recreation,” he said. “But on the other hand, there is another Wheeling where there is struggle, there is lack and inequality of opportunity. Hard work, too often, does not lead to success. There is second class citizenship, and too many are not free, but bound up, especially by debt and simply not being able to afford, not to work for one day to visit your kids, thing for one weekend to visit a family member’s birthday or funeral, let alone a month to get sick, and as true today as then reverend Dr. King tells us that this other America, this other wheeling is the America of too many people of color, but also too many white Appalachians.”

Following the award ceremony attendees had dinner at the Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling. The festivities concluded at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church for its Interfaith Service which saw Rev. Yvette Taylor presented with the 2026 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award by Bishop Darrell Cunnings.