» Photo gallery: Martin Luther King parade

For several Hawaii teachers and their families, the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. was more than a day off work and a chance to sleep in — Monday was a chance to celebrate the life and legacy of the nation’s most lauded leader of the civil rights movement.

"We really feel that in the spirit of Hawaii, we wanted to join and recognize Dr. King and all his endeavors and thank him for what he’s done for all the U.S," said Celeste Endo, a teacher at Queen Kaahumanu Elementary School.

Along with members of the Hawaii State Teachers Association — and her daughter, Chelley, 8, and her son, Jackson, 5 — she marched down Ala Moana Boulevard during Honolulu’s 24th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.

Endo said many of the union teachers brought their families along to celebrate the anniversary of King’s birthday, which was Sunday.

With children abundant, it was clear other parents also saw the importance of bringing their kids to the parade.

"I wanted to support the school and show my kids how important the day is," Shannon Cathcart of Palolo said as she walked with students and families from Voyager public charter school toward the parade step-off point at Magic Island.

Cathcart’s 10-year-old daughter, Sydney, a student at Voyager, said she learned about King in school and that it made her "happy."

"I learned about him that he teaches people how to be nice," she said while holding a sign that read "Happy B-day MLK" and had stars colored with markers on it.

Joe Krueger of Makiki said he came out to watch the parade because it’s a good opportunity to teach his son about unity and brotherhood. He and 7-year-old Isaiah sat on the curb together as diverse groups such as the Hawaii Nurses Association, the Japanese American Citizens League and Hawaii Peace and Justice passed by.

"We just wanted to honor the legacy of Dr. King, one of the greatest American heroes," he said.

The theme of this year’s parade coordinated by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition-Hawaii was a King quotation, "Our Lives Begin to End the Day We Become Silent About the Things That Matter," and several groups were not silent.

Anti-war, anti-torture and anti-violence chants abounded. One sign read, "Would Dr. King approve?" A wide range of religious organizations were also represented, including Buddhism and the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, a religious movement based in Hinduism.

"For us it’s about paying respect to a man who, with help, united us and opened a lot of doors," said Michael Green, a member of the Omega Phi Psi college fraternity’s graduate chapter in Honolulu, as he waited for his group to take its place in the procession.

"With his speeches, it’s like he saw into the future," Ewa Beach resident James Harbin said while he waited with other members of the Hawaii chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, itching to rev up their engines and ride in the parade. "He’s the foundation of a lot of our freedoms today."

The parade also drew many out-of-town visitors.

Don and Debbie Magann, a couple from Lynchburg, Va., here for a bridge tournament, said they were glad they heard about the parade from a fellow traveler because their hometown hosts only a Christmas parade, when the weather is cold.

"It’s wonderful," Debbie Magann said as she and her husband smiled and waved shaka to passing groups. "Everybody’s so friendly here."

Hawaii News Now video: Parade honors Martin Luther King Jr.