Martin Luther King Day Jr. Day 2017 Celebration Moves to Taft Theatre

The Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition announces a series of events for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 16, 2017, with events beginning at 8:00AM and continuing into the afternoon. This is the MLK Coalition’s 42nd annual celebration of the holiday in Cincinnati, dedicated to keeping Dr. King’s legacy vibrant in our community.

The 2017 Commemorative Celebration, usually held at Music Hall, will take place at the Taft Theatre, beginning at 11:30 AM. The MLK Coalition is honored to announce that Dr. Adam Clark, Associate Professor of Theology at Xavier University, will address this year’s theme, Unfair, Unequal, Unacceptable. Dr. Clark teaches courses ranging from The Religious Thought of Martin Luther King, Jr., to areas including Black Theology and Hip Hop. While Dr. King’s message is often neutralized to platitudes about having a “dream” and “just getting along,” Dr. Clark will explore the much more radical Dr. King whose message speaks to the very challenges we face as a nation in 2017. Adam Clark is a leading voice in reimagining the issues facing urban America, and works with students to address social justice at Xavier and in the community.

In addition to Dr. Clark’s presentation, Steve Milloy will conduct the award-winning Martin Luther King Chorale joined at times by area children’s choirs. The Chorale will also perform selections from “The Man Behind the Dream,” a cantata composed by Milloy to honor the life and work of openly gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.

Beginning at 8:00 AM, the full day’s activities include many opportunities for participation, commemoration and celebration.

The schedule for the day is:

•  Ticketed Breakfast sponsored by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition:

• 8:00 a.m. King Legacy Awards Breakfast at the Freedom Center

Events Free and Open to the Public: Sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition

• 10:30 a.m. Commemorative Civil Rights March begins at the Freedom Center

• 11:00 a.m. Fountain Square, Interfaith Prayer Service followed by march to Taft Theatre

• 11:30 a.m. Taft Theatre, MLK Commemorative Celebration

The King Legacy Awards Breakfast is being held at the Freedom Center. The 2017 Breakfast will recognize several students who are completing the King Legacy Youth Leadership Program, designed to provide further leadership opportunities for graduates of the Youth Docent Program at the Freedom Center sponsored by The Cincinnati (OH) Chapter of The Links Incorporated. Tickets for the King Legacy Awards Breakfast may be purchased by calling 513-333-7706.

Beginning at 10:30, hundreds of people will gather outside the Freedom Center’s Harriet Tubman Theater. After brief remarks and prayers, marchers will proceed to Fountain Square for an interfaith prayer service. The march, which commemorates the civil rights marches led by Dr. King and many others, will proceed to Taft Theatre. Metro’s Rosa Parks Bus, dedicated to the spirit of Mrs. Parks, will participate in the march, providing limited seating for those unable to walk from the Freedom Center to Taft Theatre. Many area religious leaders will participate during the march and later at Taft Theatre.

The Commemorative Celebration begins at 11:30 AM at the Taft Theatre.

All events except the Legacy Awards Breakfast are free and open to the public. For more information visit http://www.mlkcoalition.org or contact Keeyana Hall at keeyana@agencysevenpr.com.

The Commemorative Celebration begins at noon at Taft Theatre. The 2017 keynote speaker is the King scholar, Dr. Adam Clark.

Several area youth choirs will provide an exciting addition to the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Chorale music program under the direction of Bishop Todd O’Neal and Steve Milloy.

All events except the Legacy Awards Breakfast are free and open to the public. For more information visit www.mlkcoalition.org or email mlkcoalition@gmail.com