Several events are planned for Monday in Little Rock in honor of the birthday of civil-rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
The Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission has scheduled "Mega Kingfest," which is to begin with an interfaith prayer breakfast at 7 a.m. at St. Mark Baptist Church, at 5722 W. 12th St. in Little Rock. Admission is free. The breakfast is expected to attract hundreds of city officials, area clergy members, and business and community leaders.
At 11 a.m. Monday, the doors are to open to the public at Little Rock Central High School, at 1500 S. Park St., for various events that are to begin at noon. More information is available at www.arkingdream.org/news.php.
Also, the Little Rock branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will sponsor its 34th annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Marade. The march-parade is to begin at 10 a.m. at 33rd and Chester streets in Little Rock and proceed to the state Capitol, concluding with a noon program on the Capitol steps.
Scheduled speakers include Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola; Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde; state Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb; Arthur Hunt, senior pastor at Hunt Memorial Cathedral church in Dumas and CEO of The College of Aspiring Artists; and state Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, who is vice chairman of the state Democratic Party. King's Principles of Nonviolence by Positive Impact for Youth will be presented.
Also, Hendrix College in Conway and Philander Smith College in Little Rock are beginning their first joint public speaker series on racial injustice in American culture and the role of the church in creating a racially equal society.
The series, titled "Faith in Black and White: The Church and Race in 'Colorblind' America," begins at 7 p.m. Monday in Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church on Philander Smith's campus, at 900 W. Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive in Little Rock. Admission is free.
The session, to be led by Wendell Griffen, a Little Rock circuit judge, will focus on the spiritual nature of racial inequality and citizenship, according to a news release.
The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock will host its annual MLK Challenge Day on Monday to encourage youths to participate in a day of service projects.
Director Christina Shutt said it's a way to teach youths age 12-18 the value of history and service. Volunteers will be divided into groups and transported from the center to service sites that include the Pulaski County Humane Society and Arkansas Foodbank.
Participants are to meet at the center before beginning their 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. day. There will be lunch served and a closing ceremony at the center. Registration is available online at mosaictemplarscenter.com/mlk-challenge or by contacting Liz Marg at [email protected] or (501) 683-3592.
Also Monday, half-price admission in exchange for canned food donations is being offered at the Little Rock Zoo. The food drive will benefit the Arkansas Foodbank. Guests will receive one half-price admission per item donated.
Metro on 01/15/2017