Keynote speaker the Rev. Grady Wicker, Jr., an Indianapolis-based pastor, teacher and civil rights activist, said, “The essence of celebrating this great leader, this great prophet of America, this great servant of God is to continue this dream, this legacy of a beloved community where people are sharing wealth and power and community.”
Inspired by King’s famous “Letter from the Birmingham Jail,” Wicker said one of King’s many messages about freedom and equality “was saying now is the time to do right because it’s always right to do right. If there’s someone in need, do right. If there’s policy and legislation, do right. If there are injustices, do right.”
King, a Baptist minister, was instrumental in the civil rights movement as a pivotal voice in working to end entrenched segregation for African Americans and to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day did not become a federal holiday until the 1980s. It was added to a list of federal holidays in 1983, but wasn’t officially observed until 1986. Still, states resisted recognizing it, and it wasn’t until 2000 that all 50 states celebrated the holiday.
“What we’re doing is something that should be shrugged off,” said Charla Hale, YWCA Hamilton’s Chief Strategy and JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) officer, about continuing King’s work. “I think oftentimes we get so far removed from the reality and the history and the truth of what something means that we take it for granted. I encourage us, and I personally don’t take for granted that we’re all in this room to honor Dr. King’s memory, his work, his legacy, because it was not something that was given to us freely. It was not something that was done without an extreme amount of effort, resilience and diligence.”
Though not an exhaustive list, a number of events are planned to honor King’s memory on his birthday. As Monday’s weather is expected to be inclement, schedules may change.
Hamilton: In Butler County’s capital city, the annual march in the city will start at the Booker T. Washington, 1140 S. Front St. Marchers can get there as early as 10 a.m., and the march will step off at 11 a.m. They’ll end at the Christ Temple COGIC, 577 S 2nd St., where the Rev. Eric Carson, of Columbus, will speak.
Middletown: The annual Martin Luther King March in Middletown has been canceled due to the expected inclement weather, Pastor Scotty Robertson from First Baptist Church said the weekend offers an opportunity to reflect about King’s dream and how to apply it to today’s society.
“We have to come together and live out his principles,” Robertson said of the slain Civil Rights leader. “It’s more than the reconciliation of races. It’s about economic justice, the full breath.”
The movie, “Selma,” will be shown at 1 p.m. Monday at the Sorg Opera House, 63 S. Main St.
Oxford: The Oxford NAACP and the city of Oxford invites the public to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday at the Oxford Community Arts Center, 10 South College Ave.
This year’s observance will include music and short presentations by representatives of several local organizations and churches. The NAACP’s annual Creative Arts Exposition for area youth will be held at a separate event in late January on the Oxford campus of Miami University. For information on submitting an entry, visit www.oxfordohnaacp.com.
Liberty/West Chester: The annual March for Unity in Our Community is scheduled for 10 to 11:30 a.m. where families are invited to march in the two communities. The route starts in the parking lot of the West Chester Cabela’s, 7250 Cabela Dr., and ends across the street at Liberty Center. A program immediately follows the march inside Sabin Hall, 7544 Gibson Street.
The march is part of the Live the Dream: Our Declaration of Unity as the communities have celebrated the life and work of King since 1999. For more information, visit livethedreamwcl.weebly.com.
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