CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Several events are scheduled across the state Monday to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In Charleston, the Charleston-Institute Chapter of The Linksm Incorporated, will host a celebration beginning at 10 a.m. at the MLK Community Center located at 314 Donnally Street.
The celebration is set to feature a wide range of activities including:
-community and nonprofit exhibitors offering resources and services
-youth performances highlighting music, movement, and spoken word
– a DJ and sound system
– inflatables and a youth fun zone
– an MLK-themed scavenger hunt
– food and refreshments
The event will also include a food backpack and book distribution, providing shelf-stable food items and an age-appropriate book for participants to take home. Organizers will also pay tribute to the late Link Kitty Dooley and present the African American Philanthropy in Action grant awards.
“This celebration is about more than remembrance, it’s about responsibility,” Michelle Foster, Committee Chair said in a news release. “We are centering youth, meeting real needs, uplifting culture, and demonstrating what it looks like to live out Dr. King’s call to service and collective action.”
Their celebration will go until 3 p.m.
In Lewisburg, a celebration will be held beginning at 11 a.m. Residents are encouraged to gather at the Greenbrier County Courthouse for a brief opening ceremony with remarks from Bishop Kathie D. Holland.
After the opening ceremony, a march will begin along Court and Washington streets to the Lewisburg United Methodist Church, followed by lunch and a program at 12:30 p.m.
West Virginia Wesleyan College will host its annual dinner at 5 p.m. in the French See Dining Room, featuring keynote speaker Danielle Walker, a former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and former vice chair of the West Virginia Democratic Party.
Also, at 5 p.m., the Clarksburg community will hold a reception at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, followed by a prayer and unity service at 6 p.m. The service will feature James “JT” Thomas, a former linebacker for the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants who also played college football at West Virginia University
Davis & Elkins College is also joining the celebrations, inviting students, staff and the public to Robbins Memorial Chapel on the college’s campus beginning at 7 p.m.
Another event is scheduled for Wednesday, when the college will host “Tough Talks” at the chapel, focusing on the life of Dr. King.