A special event Sunday will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday will be observed Monday as a U.S. Federal holiday.
The Kinston/Lenoir County NAACP will hold its annual Martin Luther King Celebration starting at 2 p.m. Sunday, with the traditional ceremony and walk from the Kinston Courthouse steps to the United American Free Will Baptist Tabernacle in Kinston on Dr. J.E. Reddick Drive.
A program celebrating the life and legacy of King will follow at the Tabernacle starting at 3 p.m. Program speakers will include Elder William Hudson of Mt. Calvary FWB Church in La Grange, Dr. Jan Laughinghouse of Bennett College in Greensboro, and other community leaders.
Music will be provided by the Dorothy C. Pitt Chancel Choir of Emmanuel Hill Memorial FWB Church, and ecumenical friends will reflect the themes represented by King in his efforts to make justice and equality a reality for all.
King was the chief spokesman for non-violent activism in the Civil Rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. Striving for peace, inclusion and harmony among all people, his words and example have inspired generations, and his legacy continues today.
The Rev. Veronica Jackson, Religious Affairs director for the Kinston/Lenoir County NAACP, reminds the community that the ideal way to celebrate King’s life is through service.
“Service is a way to transform Dr. King’s life and life’s teaching into a community action that helps solve social problems. It may be service that meets a tangible need or a need of the spirit,” Jackson said.
“In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday as a National Day of Service and we were encouraged to make it ‘A Day On, Not a Day Off.’ Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community,” Jackson added.
Everyone is invited to attend this celebration of one of the most outstanding leaders of our time.