On the eve of a historic inauguration that will give the nation its first black president, a group of equality supporters gathered Monday to remember one of world’s most iconic civil rights leaders.

More than 200 civil rights activists participated in SIUC’s Multicultural Programs and Services’ Freedom-For-All March, which honored the legacy left by Martin Luther King Jr. and acknowledged struggles for equality still prevalent in the world.

The march recalled the life of King and kicked off the university’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recognition Week.

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Carl Irvin, a coordinator of MPS, said Tuesday’s presidential inauguration of Barack Obama – one day after Monday’s federal holiday honoring King’s birth – added to the group’s energy and commitment to civil rights.

‘We are all excited about Barack’s election,’ he said. ‘The fact is that it was these students that made the difference then and can make a difference now.

‘(Obama’s inauguration) means so much more now because we were just there,’ he said. ‘We just acknowledged the greatness of (King’s) dream coming true.’

The group – many carrying Obama signs and pictures – marched from the university’s Interfaith Center to Carbondale’s downtown pavilion, where participants were encouraged to protest for civil rights along Illinois Route 13.

Abed Abukhdair, the graduate assistant who coordinated the event, said situations such as Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip fueled the group’s efforts to fight for civil rights.

‘We are raising awareness while keeping Dr. King’s dream alive,’ Abukhdair said. ‘We’re raising awareness for civil rights not only in the U.S., but across the world.

We all share the same pursuit of happiness and freedom and we believe that all men are created equal.’

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Kendra Torres, a sophomore from Sauk Village studying journalism, said Obama’s popularity helped raise awareness for the march and said the symbolism between the two events made for a special occasion.

‘This is the best thing we could do right now with a lot of people being really excited (about Obama),’ she said. ‘I think we’ll see a lot of people shouting Obama’s name and that is important when thinking of Martin Luther King.’

Israel’s Jan. 3 invasion of Gaza also prompted many marchers to urge for Palestinian civil rights. The death toll in Gaza reached more than 1,300 as Israeli troops began to pull out of the region Monday, according to The New York Times.

Nearly half of the participants carried Palestinian flags and wore ‘Free Palestine’ T-shirts to support the country, which has been under Israeli control for more than 60 years.

‘Any time you kill over 1,200 people in three weeks, it is a massacre,’ Abukhdair said. ‘Palestinians just want their rights and they want their self determination. We are standing up for those that don’t have any rights or don’t have the voice to stand up for themselves.’