SAN ANTONIO – Participants who took part in what is billed as the largest march in the nation in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. focused some attention on a national issue.
San Antonio's annual event in memory of the slain civil rights leader involves everyone from city leaders to school children winding along a nearly 3-mile route on the East Side -- from Martin Luther King Jr. Academy to Pittman-Sullivan Park.
Some marchers wore T-shirts or held signs bearing slogans such as "I can't breathe" and "Black lives matter" in order to focus attention on recent events that have sparked protests nationwide, and what they see as still-unresolved racial problems.
"Unfortunately across the country, what we're seeing is an epidemic of something that's not new -- black lives being taken at the hands of injustice or, more importantly, by police," said Mike Lowe, a march participant and community activist. "Today, we're one unified voice as a community, and we're going to be a voice to the voiceless."
For other marchers, the focus was on remembering the past and how it may shape the future.
"It's important that we keep going with this," said Abraham L. Mack. "It's very important, I guess, for all of us. Not just black, (but) white, brown, yellow."
Mack, who is in his 70s, was in the military during the civil rights era and said he had to watch the events from the sidelines.
Now, he makes a point of attending the city's event each year.
Fourth-grader Jerzi White, meanwhile, is just beginning to understand the significance of the struggle.
"He let us have freedom and he gave us our rights," she said, quoting what she has learned about King so far.
Sunny, warm weather seemed to encourage participation in the march more this year than in year's past.
San Antonio police estimate the turnout at somewhere between 175,000-200,000 people.