Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.

Groups throughout Baldwin County to hold commemorative events

By John Underwood / john@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 1/13/17

FOLEY, Alabama — Upcoming events will be held throughout Baldwin County to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Each year, the nationwide Martin Luther King Jr. Day of …

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Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.

Groups throughout Baldwin County to hold commemorative events

Participants march during the 2016 MLK March in Loxley.
Participants march during the 2016 MLK March in Loxley.
GCM FILE PHOTO
Posted

FOLEY, Alabama — Upcoming events will be held throughout Baldwin County to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Each year, the nationwide Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is held on the third Monday of January to commemorate his birthday on Jan. 15. Introduced as legislation by U.S. Sen. Harris Wofford of Pennsylvania and Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, MLK Day was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994.
Marches held in King’s honor commemorate the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery that created national support for federal voting rights legislation.
The 31st Annual Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities in Baldwin County will begin with a memorial church program beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at South River Park Church of God, 10993 County Road 32, Fairhope.
The Rev. Wayne Anderson Sr. is the pastor of South River Park Church of God Church. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Wesley D. Davis Jr., youth pastor, Mt. Hebron Church Ministries, Mobile.

A native of the Opa-Locka community of Miami, Davis attended Florida A&M University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice in 2001.
In 2002, he was sworn in as a deputy with the U.S. Marshal’s Service and in 2004, accepted his calling as a minister under Pastor Joseph F. Johnson at Mt. Hebron. In 2007, he left the U.S. Marshal’s Service for full-time ministry as the youth pastor at Mt. Hebron.
He returned to the U.S. Marshal’s Service in 2008, retiring with Congressional and Judicial Honors in 2013. In 2014, he returned to Mt. Hebron and in 2015, he was appointed at an elder of the church, where he continues to serve as associate and youth pastor.

Events planned on Monday include:
31st Annual Memorial March
The 31st Annual Memorial March will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, at Beulah Heights Park, 809 E. Jefferson St., and proceed to the Foley Civic Center, 407 E. Laurel Ave. for a program from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The keynote speaker for the memorial program will be Honorable Joe L. Reed, chairman of Alabama Democratic Conference, vice chair for minority affairs – Democratic Party of Alabama, and former associate executive secretary of Alabama Education Association.
A native of Conecuh County, Reed graduated from Conecuh County Training School in 1956 and joined an integrated U.S. Army, working in a M.A.S.H. outfit in post-war Korea. After the Army, he earned a doctorate degree from Alabama State in Montgomery. Two years after graduation, at the age of 26, he became executive secretary of the all-black Alabama State Teachers Association.
In 1969, Reed merged his Alabama State Teachers Association with the all-white Alabama Education Association, where he would serve the next four decades, retiring as associate executive secretary in 2011.
In addition to his work with the Alabama Democratic Conference, Reed served on the Montgomery City Council and on the board of trustees for Alabama State.
After the memorial program, participants will return to Beulah Heights Park for food, entertainment and community outreach by various organizations. The Theme for 2017 Baldwin County, Alabama Celebration is “I still Rise!”
The event is rotated between Daphne, Bay Minette, Foley and Fairhope. The OWA Development and the Baldwin County Martin Luther King Celebration Committee are also sponsoring an essay writing contest with three divisions and a first place winner receiving $250 and their school. Full details are at facebook@baldwinmlk, or email BaldwinMLK2017@gmail.com.

Loxley
For the 12th straight year, the Loxley Area Martin Luther King Group will hold program beginning with a march up Alabama 59 (Hickory Street) beginning at 9 a.m. at the Loxley Church of God, marching to the Loxley Civic Center.
The march will be followed by a short program at the Civic Center, featuring youth-led singing and readings from King’s writings and speeches. The theme for this year’s program is “Move Forward.” Guest speaker for the event will be Lawrence L. Battiste, assistant chief with the Mobile Police Department.
A veteran of over 27 years in law enforcement, Battiste served as Prichard’s police chief from 2006 to 2009 and was the chief juvenile probation officer with the Mobile County Juvenile Court before accepting the position as assistant chief in 2015.
Ronnie McBride, who has organized the event since its inception said it is more important than ever for their message to be positive, with racial violence continuing to make headlines over the last year and with the election of a new president.
“Regardless of who the president is, he is still our ‘commander-in-chief’ and we have to respect that,” McBride said. “At the same time God is still God and we have to give Him all the glory no matter our circumstances.”
Organized through the vision of resident Gloria Autry, McBride said, the purpose of the program is to bring the community together.
“We want everyone to feel that they can come out and be a part of the program,” he said. “We welcome everyone to participate, whether they are black, white, Hispanic or any other. This is for everyone.”