By Ben Lockridge / staff writer
At 11 a.m. a group of more than 300 people assembled in the McCain theatre on the Meridian Community College campus to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The event began with a singing of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," led by the MCC gospel choir followed by an introduction by MCC President Dr. Scott Elliot.
During the celebration several students were recognized for their winning essays and art projects. Karan Rahat, a sixth-grader from Lamar, and Danielle Chambliss, a seventh-grader from Carver Middle School, both were granted an opportunity to deliver their essays to the crowd. Art contest winners were Chrystiana Sloan, Takia Watts, and Stephone Henderson.
After more singing from the choir, Annie Burns, an English teacher for MCC, introduced the keynote speaker, Doris Kendrick Parker.
Parker is a Stonewall resident and educator who retired after 37 years of teaching.
Parker began her speech by referencing a celebrity visit last week.
"Last Friday, native Mississippian, Miss Oprah Winfrey kicked off her national fitness initiative, Best Life challenge here in Meridian," Parker said. "But today I want to challenge all of the students to take advantage of life's best challenge, which is to get an education. For someday there may be a national holiday to celebrate your life and legacy."
Parker said that she believes that Dr. King's dream is a dream realized.
"The fact that we are assembled in this place, at this time, and for this purpose means we are living the dream. The fact that people are sitting side-by-side and coming together face-to-face means that we are living the dream," Parker explained.
Parker closed with a few words of why we remember Dr. King: "Today we remember the life of a man who's accomplishments show the world that when giants dream, it's never small. Today we remember the dreamer and his dream. So we must wake up, and get up, and step up because the day is ours."
A retired educator, Parker is president of the East Mississippi Baptist State Convention Woman’s Auxiliary and dean of First Enterprise District Congress of Christian Education.
Parker earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Tougaloo College; a master’s degree from William Carey University, and has done further study at Mississippi College, Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi.
