Santa Barbara Honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Press Release
Weekend January 15 - 18, 2016
A Community Celebration - “Justice for All” Songs/Music, Rally, Unity March; Essay/Poetry Contest; Key Note Speaker, Dr Broderick Huggins; Performing Oratory “The Other America”; “Ring Shout”; Play, featuring events of the ’60 ’s.
This will be the 9th Annual event sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr Committee of Santa Barbara, and co-sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League, First United Methodist Church, The Fund for Santa Barbara.
For media interviews, please contact E. Onja Brown, Pres.; (805) 259-5782; Isaac Garrett, Pres. 2015; (805) 729-1143; Toni Schultheis, Secrt. (805) 729-2803; www.mlksb.com
Santa Barbara, California
The theme for the 2016 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday is “Justice for All”. The life and legacy of Dr. King will be honored, in a variety of ways; reminiscent of his concept of the beloved community. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara -an all volunteer, diverse community organization, presents:
KICK-OFF Event!! “Walk With Us” ETERNAL FLAME honors Dr. King”
Jan 15th Friday 12 noon
UCSB Campus, near Buchanan Hall
Sponsored by Center for Black Studies Research “Walk With Us”; All are invited to meet at the Eternal Flame, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which was placed by class of 1969. All will then walk to North Hall, to view the mural depicting the student takeover in 1968; Reception at Mosher Alumni Hall, hosted by UCSB Alumni Affairs, immediately following.
Jan 15th Friday 7 - 8:30pm
Trinity Episcopal Church, Parish Hall; 1500 State St., Santa Barbara, Ca 93101 Frances Moore, Coordinator; Solo, “Precious Lord”, Everette Kerr; Compassionate Communication, Roger Sorrow; Understanding, by Sayyedeha Ragsdale & friend; Dialog, Four Pillars of Racism, Jeremy Garza; “Amazing Grace” Interpretive Dance, Joan Melendez; Solo, Michelle Lawyer; Santa Barbara Ring Shout, Frances Moore, CoFounder; Ring Shout is traditional dancing practiced by slaves in which dancers clap and stomp their feet, while moving in a circle. Despite the name shouting aloud is not an essential part of the ritual. Practiced in some African American churches up to the 20th century.
Jan 16th Saturday 2 - 4pm
Greater Hope Baptist Church, Social Hall, 430 E. Figueroa, Santa Barbara, Ca 93103 Melvin Richey, Director/Writer “Justice for All” Play; Cast: Bernice Garrett, Mary Glover, Olivia Glover, Melvin Richey; Kimberly Robinson, personal experiences; songs of the ’60’s; Dr. King’s philosophy. Highlights to include Rosa Parks, 1964, Murdered Civil
Rights workers: James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. Questions answers to follow, and how some of the issues apply today.
Jan 17th Sunday Time -variable Attendance encouraged at:
- B’nai B’rith
- First Baptist Church
- First United Methodist Church
- Free Methodist Church
- Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
- God’s Open Door-Second Baptist Church
- Greater Hope Missionary Baptist Church
- South Coast Church
- The Unitarian Society
- Trinity Episcopal Church
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. NATIONAL HOLIDAY
January 18th Monday
9am MORNING PROGRAM
De La Guerra Plaza, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Isaac Garrett, Chairperson; Ceremonial blessing by Marcus Lopez, *Barbareno Chumash Council” Local officials;Assemblyman, Das Williams, Assemblyman; Supervisor, Salud Carbajal; Supervisor, Janet Wolf; Dauri Kennedy, Director, “The Inner Light Gospel Choir”; Janet Reineck, Choreographer, “World Dance for Humanity”
10am UNITY MARCH De la Guerra Plaza to the Arlington Theater
The Unity March will take place from De la Guerra Plaza, up State Street, with singing of Civil Rights songs, to the historic Arlington Theater.
11am ARLINGTON THEATER; 1317 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101;
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara will host its 9th annual city celebration program. The invocation will be delivered by Mark Richardson, Pastor, First United Methodist Church. The program will feature Dr. Broderick A. Huggins, Bishop, St. Paul Baptist Church and its mass choir, which was so inspirational and enthusiastically received last year . Also, featured will be Michael Downey, who will present a dynamic performing oratory of excerpts from Dr. King’s “The Other America”. Again offering their support will be comments from Congress woman, Lois Capps; California State Senate: Hannah-Beth Jackson; and Mayor, Helene Schneider
In an effort to continually engage our youth in understanding the legacy and life of Dr. King, the annual Essay and Poetry Contest is promoted in schools throughout the greater Santa Barbara area. Chairperson, Sojourner Kincaid Rolle will announce winners. First place elementary and first place secondary students will read their winning entries. Winners are selected by a diverse cross section of the community, with support by Cynthia Silverman, Director, Anti Defamation League. Youth from the Santa Barbara Dance Institute, under the direction of Rosalina Macisco, Founder and Artistic Director, will dance to song title, “We Acknowledge You” by Karen Clark Sheard. from her album, Heavens Are Telling. www.sbdi.org.
