40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville & Buncombe County, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) entity, is currently planning for our annual MLK, Jr. Celebration events. The format for the 2021 Celebration will be different this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
As we commemorate forty (40) years of service and celebrations, we will move most of our programming to online platforms utilizing YouTube and Zoom. The 2021 programming will be expanded to a week-long list of events, and the speaker for the Prayer Breakfast will be Dr. Oralene Simmons, President, MLK Association. She will be sharing some of the forty-year struggles of not only the Association, but the 400 years of struggles of the Black race in the United States.
ABOUT
We are best known for our annual Prayer Breakfast that brings approximately 1,100 diverse citizens and community leaders together; however, we will not be able to physically celebrate together for this 2021 celebratory event. Likewise, the Candlelight Service and Peace March & Rally will have an online presence. Additional programming, such as the MLK Youth Scholarship Awards Ceremony, as well as most of our year-round programming as part of our Community Outreach Providing Empowerment (COPE) Initiative, which focuses on social justice and equity, will also be online. The COPE Initiative focuses on empowering residents living in Asheville and Buncombe County through educational outreach, workshops, seminars, and special events. Year-round events include programs related to:
- African-American Heritage
- African-American Entrepreneurship
- Stand Against Racism
- Juneteenth Celebration
Our current endeavor is a collaborative partnership with various organizations focused on the Buncombe Community Remembrance Project sponsored by the Equal Justice Initiative. We continue to depend upon our community leaders and corporate partners to assist us in fulfilling our mission of preserving and advancing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
ADVERTISING AND SPONSOR INFORMATION
Sponsorship:
HOW TO WATCH
Programming will be available starting 1/15/21 on YouTube. Subscribe and hit the bell icon to receive a notification each time a video is published for MLK Week!
SCHEDULE
Note: Most videos will post by 9:00 AM.
Friday January 15: Online Kickoff
“Remembering Our Past and The Equal Justice Initiative”
Watch
Saturday January 16: Prayer Breakfast
“40 years of Commemorating Dr. King’s Dream and Legacy”
Watch
Sunday January 17: “Say Their Names”
Watch
Monday January 18: Peace March and Rally
“Marching to the Promised Land”
Watch
Monday January 18, 6:00 PM : Candlelight Service
“Honoring Community Leaders”
Watch
Tuesday January 19: Closing Celebration:
“Community Resiliency and Moving the Dream Forward”
Watch
SPONSORS
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Speaker
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Dr. Oralene Simmons
Anna Friedman
Thank you
Vinit Allen
How can I access these events? Do I need to register?
mlkadmin
You do not need to register. The event links will be included when we are closer to the event dates. Much of it will be over YouTube.
Sheila Garcia
Hi. I am trying to schedule time for my AmeriCorps member to watch the youtube videos on Monday together, what time will those take place? I need to give their direct supervisors advance notice.
Thank you,
Sheila
mlkadmin
Hi, Sheila. The Peace March & Rally content scheduled for Monday will be on YouTube by 8 or 9 AM that morning. The Candlelight service will stream live 6pm that evening.
Lynda Shuler
Do you have times for virtual events? Or will they all be pre-recorded?
mlkadmin
Hi Lynda. Most of them are pre-recorded and will be posted by 8 or 9AM each day. The candlelight service streams live. You can find more information here: http://mlkasheville.org/events/candlelight-service/
Melody Pajak
What are the times for each event/day?
mlkadmin
Hi Melody. Thank you for asking. The videos for each event will be posted by 8 or 9 AM except a couple evening events like the candlelight service. Direct links to the individual events are now available in the schedule section of this page. You may also find this information on the home page.
Leslie Gaidi
I’d like to attend these events. Are any of them going to be in-person?
mlkadmin
They will all be virtual. The candlelight service will stream live. You can find the information here: http://mlkasheville.org/events/candlelight-service/
Elizabeth Colton
Congratulations to our Martin Luther King, Jr., Association of Asheville & Buncombe County on its 40th Anniversary of Celebrations honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his philosophy of non-violence and all related ideals. Much appreciation for all the work that the MLKingAssociation does throughout our community.