ARKANSAS, USA — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a holiday that recognizes the accomplishments and sacrifices of an integral civil rights leader. Widely known for his non-violent approach to achieving equal rights for Black Americans, King was also a reverend who could move a crowd with memorable speeches like "I Have a Dream."
In recognition of his sacrifices to the advancement of Black Americans, Congress officially made MLK's birthday a federal holiday in 1983 and added it as a national day of service in 1994. For 38 years, Americans have remembered his impact and continue to do so.
This year, people in Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith plan to commemorate the civil rights icon. However, this year's memorial may be interrupted or delayed due to potential inclement weather in Arkansas.
Here are any events, delays, and rescheduled happenings in 5COUNTRY for MLK Day:
In collaboration with the River Valley MLK Commission, UAFS is hosting an MLK week with the theme of "Unity - It Starts With Me" to honor the civil rights leader. There will be both UAFS campus events and community events.
Campus events
'UNITY - It Starts With Me' Scholarship Banquet
The annual MLK Commission Scholarship Banquet will be at the UAFS Campus Center in Reynolds Room at 6 p.m. on Jan. 13. The keynote speaker for the event will be Judge Wendell Griffen, an Arkansas lawyer, jurist, and legal educator, who broke barriers in his career by becoming the first person of color working at a major Arkansas law firm called Wright, Lindsey & Jennings. He was later appointed by former Governor Bill Clinton as chairman of the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission in 1985. A decade later, Griffen was appointed to the Arkansas Court of Appeals by former Governor Jim Guy Tucker. He held the position from 1996 to 2008.
Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast
The prayer breakfast will be held in the UAFS Campus Center in Reynolds Room from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Jan. 15.
Community Celebrations
Annual Ecumenical Celebratory Service
The annual service will be at James Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Smith at 6 p.m. on Jan. 14.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity in Action Parade
The parade in Fort Smith has been rescheduled to Feb. 10 due to potential inclement weather on Jan. 15. L.E. Housley Jr., the parade chair for the River Valley Dr. MLK Jr. Commission, said, "Our main concern is protecting all our citizens, especially elderly and children, and not exposing them to extreme Artic cold temperatures and risking frostbite or other cold weather injuries. Oklahoma City and Tulsa have postponed we have decided to as well."
On Feb. 10, the rescheduled parade will begin at 11 a.m. in Downtown Fort Smith. Those in the parade are expected to line up at 9:30 a.m.
The council plans to host events from Jan. 12 to Jan. 15 for the 28th annual MLK holiday. However, the event has become virtual due to inclement weather, including the MLK Dreamkeepers Breakfast, NWA MLK Freedom March, and the University of Arkansas Vigil.
The MLK Dreamkeepers University of Arkansas Intercollegiate Athlete Engagement has been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.
The festival will kick off the celebrations on Jan. 12 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. According to the website, the event will display a "cultural tapestry representing the rich diversity of Northwest Arkansas" through food, music, and art.
The cuisine will be provided by Punjabi Kitchen, The Fiyah Pot, Thai Basil, Marshae's Sweet Escape, and El Jicaro Salvadoran Restaurant. An array of musicians from the area, including Funk Factory, Arkansas Gospel Chorale, DJ hart throb, Coloring Twelve, Chris Cameron, and Mark Harmony, will also perform. Sales have ended for the event.
The Recommitment Celebration will feature a fire-side with award-winning author, journalist, and professor Nikole Hannah-Jones on Jan. 13 at the Fayetteville Public Library Event Center. Hannah-Jones has won a Pulitzer Prize for her work on the 1619 Project with The New York Times Magazine.
The community reception will also recognize the 2024 Salute to Greatness award recipients and high school and college scholarship recipients. The event has sold out.
The council has teamed up with the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to collect apparel items for the community on Jan. 13. Community members can join to sort through items at John L. Colbert Middle School in Fayetteville or drop items off at the middle school or The Historic St. James Missionary Baptist Church in Fayetteville. A pickup can also be scheduled with the fraternity by emailing jcolbert@gmail.com.
They are looking for the following items:
- Winter Hats (all ages and genders)
- Coats (all ages and genders)
- Gloves (all ages and genders)
- Boys' sweatpants (size M and up)
- Men's sweatpants (size S-L)
- Sweatshirts (kids sizes medium- adult L)
- Leggings (kids sizes M - adult L)
- Socks
- Underwear
- Athletic shoes
- Backpacks
- Hygiene products
- School supplies: Spiral notebooks, composition notebooks, colored pencils, expo markers, and no. 2 pencils.
The MLK Memorial Program will be held at The Historic St. James Missionary Baptist Church in Fayetteville at 3 p.m. on Jan. 14. Tim Cooper, the senior vice president of Supply Chain at Walmart, will be the featured speaker at the memorial.
The following events hosted by the council have become virtual due to inclement weather:
The virtual vigil will be on MLK Day, Jan. 15, with guest speaker LaTosha Brown, who is a community organizer, political strategist, and consultant. She is also the co-founder of Black Voters Matter. Register here for the Zoom link.
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