CHAMPAIGN COUNTY (Chambana Today) – The public is invited to the 39th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Countywide Celebration, honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this January.
The celebration will kick off on Sunday, January 19, at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana. Rev. Dr. Claude Shelby, Pastor Emeritus at Salem Baptist Church in Champaign, will deliver the keynote address during the event.
The ceremony will also feature the presentation of three prestigious community awards. The Doris Hoskins Prestigious Community Service Award, the James R. Burgess, Jr. – Susan Freiburg Humanitarian Award, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Outstanding Achievement Award will be presented to local individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing the ideals and principles championed by Dr. King.
Doors open at 4 p.m., with the community choir beginning at 4:30 p.m., followed by the main program at 5 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
On Monday, January 20, the Unity Breakfast will take place at the Vineyard Church of Central Illinois, located at 1500 N. Lincoln Ave., in Urbana. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. and is also free and open to the public.
This annual event is a collaborative effort between the Cities of Champaign and Urbana, Champaign County, the Village of Rantoul, Parkland College, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to honor Dr. King’s legacy and promote unity across the community.
For more information, visit mlkcelebration.org.