Groups agree to joint MLK parade

In an irony-free world, a bitter 10-year dispute over who has the right to hold a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade wouldn't be funny. Thank goodness we have irony, though, so we can fully appreciate the news that rival groups have reached an agreement — sort of — to sponsor a joint MLK parade next week.

The groups involved are the Black Heritage Society (which held the first MLK parade in Houston and claims to have the blessing of the King family to do so) and the MLK Jr. Parade Foundation, which hosts the MLK Grande Parade. For years, both organizations have competed with each other over which better epitomizes the message of King's legacy — ah yes, there's the irony — and the result has been two parades, with separate entry fees, held back-to-back on the same downtown route. In December, the rival groups began discussing the possibility of a joint parade, and after 24 hours of negotiations Saturday, Sunday and Monday, they reached a compromise: the MLK Jr. Parade Foundation will sponsor this year's parade, and BHS will be limited to one float, two bands and a co-parade marshal. Details of the 2007 parade will be worked out later.

We can't help but wonder whether this "historic occasion" was prompted by problems with parade permits. A few years ago, the groups had trouble securing two permits for the same day — seems the issue of multiple parades on one day hadn't really come up before — and last year, both were denied parade permits because they didn't provide the required proof of insurance. The MLK Jr. Parade Foundation later got a permit, but the BHS didn't. Its leader, Ovide Duncantell, has filed suit seeking damages from the city.

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. Monday at Texas and Louisiana downtown.