Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message of non-violence, social justice and unity for a nation in turmoil has never been more important or relevant than this year. Please join the MLK Lynchburg Community Council to remember Dr. King and his legacy during its 23rd Annual MLK Celebration on Monday, January 18, at 1:00 p.m.
The event will be held on the main stage of the Academy Center of the Arts and livestreamed online, on Facebook and Instagram – all free of charge to the general public. The Council typically celebrates Dr. King every January with a breakfast; however, due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s event will be virtual without an in-person audience.
The theme of this year’s event is “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The quotation comes from the open letter King wrote in 1963 while jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, for leading a campaign against racial segregation and economic injustice in that city. During the 2021 MLK program, facilitator Gloria Witt will ask a multi-generational panel of area residents to reflect on this year’s theme. Panelists will include Mary Payne, Ron Shoultz, Rev. Byron J. Elliott, Cristy Horsley, and Dani Rule. The Council will also award scholarships to three area high school students for essays they submitted based on the theme.
The livestream links are listed below:
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The Martin Luther King, Jr. Lynchburg Community Council is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization established by Lynchburg City Council in 1991 to promote and conduct community observances in recognition of the national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to maintain the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Human Rights at the Lynchburg Public Library. The MLK Council collaborates with civic, educational and religious organizations and the City of Lynchburg to support activities that reflect Dr. King’s teachings of non-violent social change. For more information, visit www.lynchburgva.gov/martin-luther-king-jr-lynchburg-community-council.