Mayor LaToya Cantrell | City of New Orleans website
Mayor LaToya Cantrell | City of New Orleans website
NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Planning Commission today announced a series of events to honor civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Chair Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Co-Chairs Julius Feltus and Dr. Levon LeBan welcome guests to attend these free and open public events over the next two weeks.
"It is important that we never forget where we came from,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “We must continue to recognize those who have gone before us to make our journeys a bit easier, while still recognizing there is more progress to be made. Who we are celebrating is someone who has already done their job by making the ultimate sacrifices for us to be here. But now, it is up to us to make those sacrifices with boldness, with courage and being unapologetic about our sincere love of bringing others along. Thank you to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Planning Commission, Southern Christian Leadership Conference and all partners who played an instrumental role in coordinating this year’s events, while continuing to lead the fight for equality across our city and beyond. As we commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., let’s continue to honor courage, history and a movement towards equity for all people.”
The series of events kicked off today, Jan. 5 with the unveiling of a historic marker dedicated to Mrs. Coretta Scott King as part of Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s (SCLC) Educational Series. The marker is now displayed on the neutral ground at the intersection of South Claiborne Avenue and Jackson Avenue, honoring Mrs. King’s contribution to the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the instrumental role she played in getting Congress and then President Reagan to officially declare Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a National Holiday.
The series of educational and commemorative events continues with:
- To Be Friends in Christ Ministry – Youth on the Move/Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
- Saturday, Jan. 6, 12 p.m.
- Second Free Mission Baptist Church, 1228 Burdette St.
- Hosted by Rev. Dr. Warren J. Ray
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Service
- Sunday, Jan. 14, 10 a.m.
- City Church of New Orleans, 13123 I-10 East Service Road
- Hosted by Bishop Dr. Owen McManus, Jr.
- Annual R.E.A.L. Martin Luther King Jr. March & Commemorative Parade
- Monday, Jan. 15, 10 a.m.
- March and parade will start at A.L. Davis Park, LaSalle Street and Third Street
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commissioner’s Meeting/Reception
- Monday, Jan. 15, 2 p.m.
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints, 3613 St. Charles Ave. 70115
- National Conference of Artists – An Experiment in Love
- Saturday, Jan. 13 – Thursday, Feb. 29
- Ashé Gallery, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. and Stella Jones Gallery, 201 St. Charles Ave.
- For more information, please visit nolamlkexhibit.org
- SCLC/American Red Cross, Louisiana Region—Smoke Detectors Installed in area homes
- Ongoing throughout the month of January and ending Jan. 31
- NAACP/Second Harvest Food Bank collection of non-perishable food items
- Collections happening now through Jan. 15
As a reminder, City Hall will be closed Monday, Jan. 15, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Normal hours will resume Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Original source can be found here.
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