The King Center Presents Slate of Events Celebrating the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO, The King Center, announces a slate of public programs and events in celebration of the King Holiday Observance. Throughout the month, beginning with Friday, January 11, 2019 and continuing through Monday, January 21, 2019, The King Center will host its annual fundraiser, signature programs, award ceremonies, talks, community service projects, and youth engagement activities to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on what would have been his 90th birthday.
This year’s theme, “King’s Vision: Humanity Tied in a Single Garment of Destiny, echoes Dr. King’s declaration: “All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
“Our theme this year is a call to consciousness that we are all interrelated,” said CEO Dr. Bernice A. King. “We were very intentional about this. These are polarizing times in our nation and around the world. We are experiencing a new, resurgent iteration of racism, tribalism, and xenophobia towards our fellow man.”
“We use the King Holiday Observance as an opportunity to showcase the work we do at the Center as the foremost authority on my father’s philosophy and methodology of nonviolence as a means to affect social change,” said King. “The work of The King Center is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago,” said King. “Our message is clear, with love, truth, and justice, humanity wins.”
The King Center has engaged speakers, partners, participants and honorees whose work and ideals reflect the spirit of justice, service, reconciliation and brotherly love that Dr. King espoused.
Sponsored In Part By Delta Air Lines, FedEx, The Coca-Cola Company and Comcast, The King Holiday Observance activities begin with the two-day Nonviolence365® Training on January 11th and 12th at The King Center 449 Auburn Ave, NE, Atlanta, GA 30312.
The formal kick-off reception and Dream Forward Awards will be held on Tuesday, January 15th in Freedom Hall at The King Center. The event is free and open to the public. The reception begins at 6:00 p.m. with the awards program commencing at 6:45 p.m.
The annual Salute to Greatness Awards Gala fundraiser will be on Saturday, January 19th at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, 265 Peachtree Street, NE in Atlanta, Georgia. Honorees are St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Howard Schultz, Dikembe Mutombo, U.S. Senator John McCain (posthumously), wife Cindy McCain will attend to accept his award, The Diana Award, D’Angelo McDade, and Sherry Frank.
The Gala dinner co-chairs are Rodney Bullard, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility for Chick-fil-A, Inc. and executive director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation; Helen Smith Price, vice president of Global Community Affairs and president of the Coca-Cola Foundation; and Klaus Zellmer, president & CEO, Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Commemorative Service will be broadcast live on Fox 5 Atlanta from Ebenezer Baptist Church – Horizon Sanctuary on Monday, January 21st. Bryan Stevenson will deliver the keynote address; speakers Emma Gonzalez, Britney Packnett, Rev. Jentezen Franklin, and Rev. Dr. Billy Kim will bring special tributes; and Samia Nkrumah will bring the international greeting.
There will be special musical performances by Minister Bebe Winans, Latrice Pace, Angella Christie, Jahi Di’Allo and Daiyann Winston, the East Broadcasting Children’s Choir, and Ray Emmanuel.
The Beloved Community Talks: Let’s Bridge the Racial Divide will also be held on January 21st. Moderated by television personality Terrence J, the talks are comprised of three conversational vignettes: A Look at the NFL – Community Engagement and Social Responsibility; Your Influence and Your Voice – Influencers’ Role in Bridging the Racial Divide; and Beyond the Racial Divide – A Journey to Reconciliation, former White Supremacist and neo-Nazi Michael Kent and probation officer Tiffany Whittier.
For more details, tickets, and the full schedule of events for King Holiday Observance visit TheKingCenter.org. Most events are FREE. Check the full listing under the Events tab.