This year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Day celebration in Kansas City, Kansas, will be online-only.
The celebration will be shown on Facebook at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 17, according to those involved with the project.
The keynote speaker of the event will be Pastor Roger Bernard, president of the Central States Conference of Seventh Day Adventist.
The chair of the event is Dr. Clarence Small, with the Rev. Tony Carter.
Because of rising numbers of COVID-19 in the community, there will not be an in-person celebration for the public at Memorial Hall, as originally planned, according to organizers.
Instead, Joseph Straws III has been taping speakers, performances and announcements during three days this past week at Memorial Hall, and the video will be presented for public viewing at 11 a.m. on Monday on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kckmlkcelebration.
Also expected to speak at the event are Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Tyrone Garner and Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree.
One highlight of the program is that 18 scholarships will be given to high school seniors, Straws said. Funds are being raised for the scholarships. According to the event’s information, donations may be made to https://gkccf.kimbia.com/king01.
The program will be about 55 minutes long, Straws stated.