By Gabbie Burton
Contributing Writer

Every year when work and schools close for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the detail that the federal holiday is also a national day of service is seemingly forgotten in favor of a convenient day off. However, such was not the case at the MLK CommUNITY’s 25th annual MLK Jr. celebration at Kennett High School on Jan. 19, a day-long event which included breakfast, a keynote address, a workshop and a volunteer fair all aimed at celebrating King’s legacy.

“This day is a powerful reminder of the values of equity, justice and service that Dr. King championed,” said Carol Black, president of the Board of Directors MLK CommUNITY. “As we gather here, let us reflect on his teachings and commit ourselves to fostering a community that embodies his vision of unity and compassion, together we can make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others”

Before an audience estimated at 250, Black shared the history of the event, which was started 25 years ago by Mabel Latta Thompson, the founder of MLK CommUNITY.

“She was inspired by a close, lived connection to both her husband’s ministry and the moral leadership of her husband’s colleague, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,” Black said. “Mabel recognized that Dr. King’s message should not be confined to marches and memorials but should be renewed annually through community gatherings and reflection. She was inspired because she saw up close that Dr. King’s vision was possible. 

“Faith could move communities toward justice, and ordinary people gathered around a shared table could help build the beloved community.”

The event featured a collection of local groups and community members who took the stage following Black’s opening remarks that included the Lincoln University Gospel Choir, Kennett Borough Mayor Matt Fetick, Kennett Consolidated School District Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders, Lincoln University Chaplain Rev. Dr. Frederick Faison, Kennett High School junior JaiLyn Poe and Dr. Karen Barreto of Friends Faith Christian Support Group.

In honor of the MLK CommUNITY founder, the Mabel Latta Thompson Community Service Award was presented to Karen Scherer for her work in the Kennett Borough and with MLK CommUNITY. 

“My mother didn’t believe when she created this event that she was starting something new,” said Thompson, who presented the award to Scherer. “She thought she was building on something that had been here in this community for hundreds of years, and she wanted to remind this community of who we are.

“My mother didn’t target Black runaway slaves for this event. Her focus was on undocumented children of immigrants who were living in this community, whose kids can’t afford to go to school, who have no protections, and so we needed to make our community their protection. That is the spirit and Karen, you have embodied that, and it’s an honor to give you this award.”

‘We are in the middle of another fight for our lives’

The highlight of the day’s events came in the keynote address given by Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, a Lincoln University graduate and current radio show host. Whitehead is also a professor at Loyola University Maryland, author of five books and president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.

“We are at the edge of celebrating a century of Black history commemorations and the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, and I do not take it lightly that we are in the middle of yet another fight for our lives, for our democracy and for our freedoms,” she said.

In her address, Whitehead focused on the 250th anniversary of the nation and drew parallels to the current political landscape.

“What was taken out of the Declaration is actually more interesting than what was left in, because what they took out was information that blamed King George III for the transatlantic slave trade, and it blamed the people of Britain for standing by and letting their king reap havoc,” she said. “So when the king is out of control, if the people don't stand up, then you have to shoulder the blame. When would-be kings want to be in control, when the people don’t stand up, then you have to shoulder some of the responsibility.”

Whitehead also took her speech as an opportunity to remind the audience of all of what King stood for.

“We stand here today on the national holiday of Dr. King, a man whose very legacy has been co-opted and twisted to fit a narrative that thrives on oppression. It thrives on capitalism, it thrives on anticipatory obedience, and it thrives on our fright,” she said. “They want us to be afraid. They want us to be separated from one another. They don’t realize our strength is in our members and in our community and in our humanity and in our love.”

Throughout Whitehead’s speech the emotion was palpable in the room as head nods, murmurs of agreement and applause occasionally broke out before she concluded her speech to a standing ovation from the audience.

“I look around this room, and I see a portion of Dr. King’s dream has been realized,” she said. “I’m in a room of people of all different ages, genders, all different races and ethnicities. That’s a portion of the dream that’s been realized. I challenge you today to hold fast to that dream, and not that one policy, not that one politician, not that one would be king, not that one ICE agent, not let one person at all steal our dreams for us, for what we have, for our children.”

Following the keynote address a volunteer fair which featured local non-profits and organizations encouraged attendees to turn words into actions and Dr. Anthony Montiero led the “Martin Luther King: Leader of a Beautiful and Beloved Struggle” workshop.

While there was a plethora of education and inspiration for attendees at the event, the overarching call to action and to service was left ringing in the ears of all who attended.

“Time is neutral, but it’s never been on our side,” Whitehead said. “We are running out of time if we don’t change it now. I believe we're not going to change it for years to come. We have a small window that is open. This is the moment the window is open, but it is closing fast.”

To contact Contributing Writer Gabbie Burton, email [email protected].