Hundreds attend KCK King Day celebration

Photos by Brian Turrel

Guest speaker, the Rev. Jimmy Brown, pastor of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, Mo., preached to the crowd about the importance of community.at the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday celebration Monday at the Reardon Center in Kansas City, Kan. Using the phrase “Let us rise up and build,” from the book of Nehemiah, he encouraged the crowd to build community in their own local area. He also emphasized the importance of educating the next generation, and talked about the sacrifices his father had made for his education. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

The Rev. Tony Carter Jr., pastor of Salem Baptist Church, greeted the crowd of about 750 people at the 32nd annual Kansas City, Kan., Martin Luther King Jr. holiday celebration. The celebration was held at the Reardon Civic Center in downtown Kansas City, Kan., on Jan. 16. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Local ministers shared a light-hearted moment before the program began. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Members of the Greater Pentecostal Temple dance ministry performed at the beginning of the celebration program. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Members of the Greater Pentecostal Temple dance ministry performed at the beginning of the celebration program. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Members of the Greater Pentecostal Temple dance ministry performed at the beginning of the celebration program. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

The Greater Pentecostal Temple’s Men of Worship group performed at the beginning of the celebration program. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Alicia Saunders directed the MLK Mass Choir in several songs. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Mark Holland, mayor of Kansas City, Kan., greeted the crowd. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash was warmly recognized by the crowd. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Tammy Jordan performed a solo with the MLK Mass Choir. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Harriet Taylor read Langston Hughes’s poem “The Negro Mother.” (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Members of the Greater Pentecostal Temple’s youth choir read quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Members of the Greater Pentecostal Temple’s youth choir read quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

The Rev. Ricky Turner, pastor of Oak Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, recognized the many companies, churches, and individuals that contributed to the 2017 Scholarship Awards. An offering was also taken from the crowd. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Alicia Saunders performed a solo with the MLK Mass Choir. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Many in the crowd sang and clapped along with the choir. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Cindy Lane, superintendent of the Kansas City, Kan., School District, presented a scholarship award to a district student. Approximately $26,000 in scholarships was presented to students from the Kansas City, Kan., Bonner Springs, Piper, and Turner school districts. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Tim Conrad, superintendent of the Piper School District, presented a scholarship award to Jalen Taylor, a Piper High School senior. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

J.J. Letcher, a senior at Piper High School, posed with his father, Capt. Morris Letcher of the Kansas City, Kan., Fire Department, following the ceremony. (Photo by Brian Turrel)

Photos copyright 2017 by Brian Turrel