MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Throughout the nation the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were celebrated for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
One Memphis family reflected on the life of a man who fought for fairness and equality in his own way.
Herbert Parson, a City of Memphis sanitation worker for more than 45 years, helped to lead the charge for fair wages and improved working conditions in 1968.
Parson passed away on New Year’s Day at the age of 76, before being laid to rest over the weekend.
Fifty-seven years ago, a group of 14 Memphis sanitation workers, including Parson, played a crucial role in advancing the Civil Rights Movement. Their efforts were aimed at securing livable wages for workers in the city’s sanitation department, a cause that would define their lives.
Roderick Parson, Herbert’s second oldest son, recalled the sacrifices his father made.
“My dad was a part of change,” Roderick Parson said. “He endured conditions that a lot of workers don’t have to endure right now, and he was a part of it, but yet he didn’t mind.”
Herbert’s dedication to his work and to his community earned him an invitation to meet former President Barack Obama, who honored the remaining sanitation workers from 1968 by inducting them into the Department of Labor Hall of Fame.
Roderick said it was a moment his father never forgot.
“The story was that President Obama had something that he had to do, and that they’re only going to meet with Michelle, but Obama postponed his trip to go and meet the men,” he said.
Despite his father’s public accolades, Herbert’s youngest son, Kendrick emphasized that it was his father’s quiet humility that made the greatest impact on their family.
“A lot of our close friends don’t even know this story, … my dad was so humble that his humbleness passed down to us,” Kendrick said.
Kendrick told ABC24 during his father’s White House visit, former President Barack Obama made a kind gesture that will be talked about among their family for generations.
“President Obama asked my dad for an autograph. They exchanged autographs so that was huge,” Kendrick said.
Herbert Parson’s sons told ABC24 their greatest pride comes not from his public achievements, but from his role as a father. Roderick said his father never displayed his struggles while the sanitation strike was going on nor throughout his career.
“Whatever he dealt with when he left home, we never really knew the magnitude of it, because he would come home and be dad,” Roderick said.
Though Herbert’s sons continue to grieve his passing, they are determined to carry on his legacy. They told ABC24 their father’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and his commitment to his family will remain a source of pride and inspiration for those who knew him best.
