The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. parade in downtown Fayetteville has been postponed—but members of the committee that runs it have conflicting explanations about why.
As of Friday, the committee had not announced a new date for the parade, which was originally scheduled for January 17
The parade, now in its 32nd year, is organized by the Fayetteville‑Cumberland County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, a nonprofit founded in 1995 to honor King and local civil rights leaders. The event typically features bands, floats, dancers, and community groups and begins at the Cumberland County Courthouse in downtown Fayetteville and goes down Person and Hay streets.
On Wednesday, committee member Charlisa Y. Davis issued a press release announcing the parade would be postponed “due to safety issues.” The release said the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution.” Davis did not respond to repeated requests about the safety concerns cited in the press release.
Committee chair Stanley Ford said that the safety issue “was not a threat,” but declined to answer questions about the announcement and postponement. He directed CityView back to Davis.
The Fayetteville Police Department said it had not been informed of any safety concerns. Maj. Shawn Strepay, the department’s chief of staff, said police take event safety seriously and would have addressed any issues brought to them.
Other committee members said they were unaware of any safety problems—or even of the press release itself.
Treasurer Ellison L. Ellison offered a different explanation. He said the committee did not have enough time to organize the parade this year, citing the departure of the former lead planner, Belinda Bryant. “Putting something together like that is very complicated,” he said, adding that the group lacked guidelines and time to secure permits, bathrooms, security, and other requirements.
Bryant, however, told CityView she left Fayetteville two years ago and was not involved in the 2025 parade. She said Twanna Branch and Ford handled planning in 2025.
Branch, the MLK committee president, said she had no knowledge of Davis’ press release and that the committee never discussed postponing the parade. She said Davis and Ford had not attended recent meetings.
“We don’t know where that came from,” Branch said. “There is a disconnect somewhere, because we don’t know who authorized that. We have been blindsided”
The press release directed questions and concerns to a post office box in Fayetteville. According to Branch, only Ford has access to it.
Government reporter Rachel Heimann Mercader can be reached at rheimann@cityviewnc.com or 910-988-8045.
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