The 2020 observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday marks the 25th anniversary of the day of service that celebrates the civil rights leader’s life and legacy.

Observed each year on the third Monday in January, MLK Day, as it has become known in latter years, is celebrated as “a day on, not a day off.” It is recognized as the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

Locally, special events are presented by schools, churches and other organizations in observance of MLK Day. Following is information about three longstanding community-wide celebrations — the Meridian/Lauderdale County NAACP Community Breakfast, the MLK Day Annual Parade and Scholarship Gala presented by the MLK Parade Celebration and Scholarship Committee, and The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Celebration presented by Meridian Community College — as well as events scheduled at NAS Meridian and in Quitman:

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Commemorative Celebration, Jan. 15

Meridian High School Principal Dr. Victor Hubbard will be the keynote speaker at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Celebration at Meridian Community College. The program is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 1 p.m. at McCain Theater. Admission is free.

The program’s theme is “The Re-emergence of Hope,” which is based on a quote King spoke in a Washington, D.C. address in February 1968 — two months before he was assassinated in Memphis: “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

In addition to Hubbard’s presentation, the program will include the announcement of this year’s student essay contest winners. According to MLK Committee chair Jamila Brown Coleman, a more creative element was introduced to this year’s competition, which is open to middle to high school students.

“We encouraged the students to be more creative with their submissions,” Coleman said. “They could either submit an essay, a poem, artwork or whatever they wanted to do, but it had to be based on the theme.”

First through third place winners will be selected in each category and will present their submitted work at the program. First place winners will receive $50, and second and third place winners will each receive a gift and certificate of participation.

Additionally, three Meridian Community College students will each be awarded a $750 Charles Young Scholarship, which is funded through the MCC Foundation by the Charles Young Sr. Family.

Each year, the college recognizes a person from the community with the Billy C. Beal Award. Beal, who served as vice president at the college, was a longtime supporter of the MCC family and MLK Committee, Coleman said. The award recognizes an individual who undertakes a service or duty and makes a difference in the community. 

“Whether it is helping provide for the homeless, helping keep our cultural traditions strong and thriving, making sure our youth in the community has proper mentors, volunteering in schools, keeping arts and our history alive in our city, standing up for causes they believe in, helping a friend or neighbor, being a mover and a shaker & a motivator.  It does not matter how great or how small, the recipient of the Billy C. Beal Award is presented to someone who has made a difference in our city,” Coleman said.

Music for the commemorative celebration program will be presented by the MCC Gospel Choir and guest vocalist Sheila Y. Walker. A reception will follow at Miller Art Gallery.

Salute to Greatness Banquet, Jan. 18

For three decades, a Salute to Greatness Banquet celebrating the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has been presented by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee of the Pine Belt and The Anti-Justice Center LLC of Laurel. The annual event is held at various locales throughout the state and this year’s banquet will be held in Quitman on Jan. 18 at Your Meeting Place, 1845 Highway 18 West. A meet-and-greet will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the banquet at 7 p.m. “Criminal Justice Reform” is the theme for this year’s banquet.

“Mississippi has an outstanding number of incarcerated black males, and there need to be some changes,” said Thaddeus Edmonson, president of the committee. “In addition to honoring the unsung heroes of our community, we take this occasion to inform the public on the availability of assistance to fight the injustices we face within our community.”

Guest speaker will be Col. (Ret.) Jennifer Riley-Collins, a Meridian native who was a 2019 candidate for attorney general for Mississippi.

Riley-Collins served as the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi before recently stepping down amid her run for attorney general. She received a bachelor’s degree from Alcorn State University in 1987, a master’s degree in criminal justice administration in 1993 from the University of Central Texas, and Juris Doctor in 1999 from Mississippi College School of Law.

Riley-Collins is also a veteran. She served in the U. S. Army from 1985 to 1999, where she reached the rank of colonel. She was also a member of the U.S. National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve from 1999 to 2017.

She is also a member of the Project Equity advisory board and the Mississippi Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

The program will also informational speakers who will reflect on the theme, including Michelle Lui and Anna Wolfe, reporters for Mississippi Today; Cliff Johnson, attorney; Minister Marian Allen of Laurel; and Dr. Eleaner Collins of Southern University in Baton Rouge, La.

The Rev. Nathan Laster will serve as emcee. In addition to a soul food meal, the evening will include music and door prizes.

Proceeds from the banquet go toward scholarships and community projects, including a Vietnam Era Cemetery located in Ellisville.

Tickets are $25, advance, $30, at the door. For more information, call 601-498-9621 or 601-651-6003.

Founded in 1989, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration of the Pine Belt advocates and promotes the ideals espoused by the late civil rights leader.

Meridian/Lauderdale County NAACP MLK Community Breakfast, Jan. 20

The 35th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Breakfast is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20 at 8 a.m. at the Tommy E. Dulaney Center (across from the Meridian Community College campus). “When we come together in Love, we Win,” is the 2020 theme for the community breakfast.

Keynote speaker will be Philadelphia Mayor James Young, who was elected the city’s first black mayor in 2009.

According to a biography on the Mississippi Civil Rights Project website (mscivilrightsproject.org), Young was born and reared in Neshoba County and was the only black sixth-grader at Neshoba Central Elementary School in 1967. He and several other children integrated Neshoba County schools under the “Freedom of Choice Plan.” He went on to become a paramedic in the county-operated ambulance service.

Young was the first black person to be elected to the Neshoba County Board of Supervisors and served as the 2004 president of the board. He was a founding member of the Philadelphia Coalition, a community group that organized around the 40th anniversary of what is known as the Freedom Summer Murders, or the Neshoba Murders, in which local klan in collusion with local law enforcement, murdered James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner.

Tickets for the community breakfast are $10 are may be purchased online by visiting the website meridianlauderdalenaacp.churchcenter.com

MLK Day Annual Parade Celebration, Jan. 20

& Scholarship Gala, Jan. 25

The MLK Day Annual Parade Celebration and Scholarship Gala will be held on two dates. According to MLK Parade Celebration and Scholarship Gala Committee spokesperson Pamela Graham, this year will be the 20th anniversary for the parade celebration, and the 18th anniversary for the scholarship gala.

“More than five decades after his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. continues to impact lives,” MLK Parade Celebration and Scholarship Gala Committee president Greg Lane said. “Whether it be men, women or children of all colors, everyone has done better because of Dr. King’s legacy.”

The local theme for the parade celebration and scholarship gala is “Dream … Believe … Do.”

The parade is scheduled Monday, Jan. 20, and will begin at noon in downtown Meridian. Churches, school and youth groups and organizations, school bands as well as social and civic clubs, organizations and individuals are encouraged to sponsor an entry. Graham encourages parade participants to incorporate the local theme in their entry.

The entry fee is $35. First-, second- and third-place trophies will be awarded to the top three decorated entries. For more information, contact Graham at 601-479-2018.

The Scholarship Gala is scheduled Saturday, Jan. 25, from 7-11 p.m., at the MSU Riley Center in downtown Meridian. The semi-formal evening event will include an introduction of the scholarship recipients, music by the band Just A Few Cats of Birmingham, Alabama, heavy hors d’oeuvres and door prizes.

Tickets are $40 per person; reserved tables are limited. Tickets may be purchased from committee members or at the door. For more information, contact Graham at 601-479-2018.

The MLK Parade Celebration and Scholarship Gala Committee is a conglomerate of local citizens dedicated to continuing the legacy of Dr. King and supporting the continued education of the area’s youth through scholarships.

“Proceeds from the parade and scholarship gala go toward providing scholarships to graduating high school seniors from Lauderdale County so that they may continue their education,” Graham said.

The scholarships are a minimum of $500 and may be applied at the college of the student’s choice, she said. Academic excellence, community service and a 300-word essay about themselves and the impact Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has had on their lives as well as others is the criteria considered in choosing applicants. The scholarship can be applied at the school of the recipient’s choice.

Since the gala’s inception, more than $55,000 in scholarships have been awarded, Graham said.

NAS Meridian, Jan. 25

NAS Meridian’s annual celebration of MLK Day will take place Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 10 at the base chapel. According to Lt. Matthew Purmort, chaplain, the program emphasizes King’s influence and how it has affected the Meridian community.

Guest speaker will be Minister Lenray Gandy, a Meridian native who will share his direct ties to the civil rights movement, Purmort said.

In addition to the speaker and music, the program will include a slide presentation featuring African Americans who served in the United States military during the civil rights movement.

The program is open to those with base access.