Keynote Speaker Dr. Terrence Roberts @ MLK March

Gloria Ray (photo)
Event coordinator

As we head into this week, the 2008 MLK Commemoration rolls on with various events at military installations and local churches.

The next major event directly organized by the City of San Antonio Martin Luther King Jr. Commission is the Hip Hop Youth Summit taking place this Saturday at St. Philip’s College.

This is going to be an awesome event for our young people with self-empowerment styled workshops, entertainment by local and national artists, along with a panel discussion that will kick off with a documentary on the Jena 6 and delve into a variety of issues, including Education and Drop Out Rates.

I bring your attention to that topic in particular because it highlights our theme for this year’s march – Education: March from the Dream to Reality.

To wrap up… the march will begin, as always, at 10 a.m. sharp on the King Holiday next Monday.

We will gather in front of King Academy with the procession extending past the Eastside Boys & Girls Club and onto the MLK Freedom Bridge in the 3500 block of MLK.

We’re anticipating more than 100,000 marchers. The march will travel west to New Braunfels Street, then proceed south to Iowa. Go west on Iowa until we reach Pittman-Sullivan Park.

After the nearly three-mile march concludes, the commemorative program will begin at approximately noon at the park.

Keeping in line with our theme – Education: March from the Dream to Reality - we are honored to have a member of the Little Rock Nine as the keynote speaker. Dr. Terrence Roberts and eight of his peers held the attention of this nation as they made history at Central High School. Under escort of federal troops, they became the first Black students to desegregate the all-white school.

We are also proud to feature Houston gospel artist Kim Burrell and recording artists Soulfruit.

We encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of VIA Park & Ride and shuttle service to avoid the street closures.

The MLK Commission has organized a variety of events:

The MLK Public Awards Ceremony will take place this Saturday at City Council Chambers. Join us at 6 p.m. as we honor a member of this community with the MLK Distinguished Achievement Award and the Baha’i Unity of Humanity Award.

At 2 p.m. next Sunday at the MLK Monument located at N. New Braunfels Ave @ E. Houston St, we will be joined by dozens of organizations to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. King with a wreath-laying ceremony.

Two hours later, the MLK Interfaith Service will take place at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. Offerings at this service will benefit our annual MLK scholarships.

And, two days after the march on Wednesday, January 23rd, the MLK Commission and Trinity University will present another leader in the educational field and that of the written word – Nikki Giovanni.

Again, these are just a few of the events taking place. This full calendar of events can be found at City library branches and on the City’s website at San Antonio – dot- gov – slash – mlk.

Gloria Ray
Event Coordinator