The 30th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration, coordinated by the MLK Steering Committee, will be held on Sunday, January 19, 2014 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. The program will begin at 1:00 p.m. in Uihlein Hall and highlight our youth who interpreted Dr. King’s works through art, speech and writing.
The only cities that have celebrated Dr. King’s Birthday annually since 1984 are Atlanta, Georgia and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The theme for this year’s program is “Non-Violence: The Most Potent Weapon” which was taken from, A testament of Hope, The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. The speech from which this theme was drawn was given in 1961 during Dr. King’s fight for racial justice and acceptance.
This year, the program will feature keynote speaker, Dr. Joan M. Prince, Ambassador Emeritus and Alternate Representative of the 67th General Assembly of the United Nations and Vice Chancellor- The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
Also, young people who are involved in the performing arts will also be highlighted as they salute Dr. King’s legacy through music, dance and song. Some of the performing arts groups featured will be the Bear Clan Singers and Dancers, Punjabi Youth Club of Milwaukee, African Dance Group, Milwaukee Chinese Youth Orchestra, Latino Arts Mariachi Juvenile, and Aarabhi Indian School of Dance.
In honor of the 30th Anniversary, MPS 1994-95 youth scholarship winner Milele A. Coggs will also speak as a King Honoree.
In addition, the United States Postal Service will unveil the 2014 Black Heritage Stamp.
The event concludes with the Paulette Y. Copeland Reception at 3:30 p.m. This reception is free and open to the public in Bradley Pavilion.
Admission to this event is open and free to the public. For more information, visit www.marcuscenter.org.
