New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Mayor Jon Mitchell is pleased to join with the Greater New Bedford Area Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee in welcoming the public to attend the “Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Remembrance Celebration.”
The celebration will be held on Sunday, January 19, 2014 from 3:00-5:00 P.M. at the Grace Episcopal Church at133 School Street in New Bedford.
“I encourage everyone to attend the Celebration and take this opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s message of peace and unity,” said New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell.
Dr. King was an integral part of the Civil Rights Movement which laid the foundation for the theory and practice of inclusion and diversity in American society and around the world. Though he was assassinated in 1968, Dr. King’s dream lives on, touching the hearts and minds of people throughout the world.
The theme for New Bedford’s 2014 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Remembrance Celebration is “Passing the Torch,” and was selected by the committee as a reminder of how important it is to cultivate and support young leadership.
The keynote speaker this year is Julian Tynes, Esq., Chairman of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. In this capacity, Chairman Tynes is responsible for overseeing the MCAD’s role in the administration, adjudication, and education of civil rights matters within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Other program highlights include musical selections by several talented New Bedford teens including Abby Rego of the Showstoppers, 2014 New Bedford Idol Jayliana Brito, and Zan Morrisey who will provide an acoustic guitar selection. In keeping with the rich tradition of the Annual Martin Luther King celebration, the program will also feature vocal performances by combined choirs including “Deliverance.”
Jibreel Khazan (born as Ezell Blair Jr.) will be recognized by the MLK Committee for his role in the civil rights movement. Khazan was a North Carolina A&T State University student when he and three of his classmates, now known as the “Greensboro Four,” initiated the sit-in movement when they sat down at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina on February 1, 1960 and requested service.
The special musical guest this year will be Sid Sriram, a young Indian- American singer-songwriter and recent graduate of Berklee College of Music. He will delight the audience with two selections.
The Members of the MLK 2014 Planning Committee include representation from The United House of Prayer, Bethel AME, Grace Episcopal Church, NAACP, The Department of Community Services, & The Human Relations Commission.
All are encouraged to attend the program. For more information contact Marci Pina-Christian or the Department of Community Services at (508) 979-1464.
