Five DeKalb high school marching bands; community, civic and business groups; elected officials and administrators; and politicians seeking office will be marching through the Village of Stone Mountain on Jan. 18 in the DeKalb NAACP’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Rally.

The eighth annual event honors the late civil rights leader who fought to end racial segregation and discrimination during his lifetime.

King was born Jan. 15, 1929, and assassinated on April 4, 1968.

His birthday is a national holiday celebrated annually on the third Monday in January. His 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech brought fame to Stone Mountain when he said: “Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!”

The parade starts at 12:30 p.m. in the MARTA parking lot on Fourth Street. It will feature Stone Mountain’s Marching Pirates, and bands from Avondale, Cross Keys, Druid Hills and McNair high schools. Participants should arrive for lineup by 10:30 a.m.

The route will take marchers down Third and Fourth streets and will terminate on Main Street, near City Hall.

Parade grand marshals will be R&B great “Lil G,” Gary Jenkins, and pop princess “QT Jazz,” Jasmine Robinson. Parade headliners will include the Rev. Norman Thomas Jr., pastor of First Baptist Church, Gresham Road; the Rev. Orea Parker, pastor of Saint Paul AME Church in Stone Mountain; Stone Mountain Mayor Patricia Wheeler; DeKalb School Superintendent Crawford Lewis; and state Reps. Howard Moseley and Billy Mitchell.

Groups, churches and individuals can still sign up.

For more information, e-mail schoolsandcommunity@yahoo .com or call Sarah Copelin-Wood at 404-371-1490.