Martin Luther King’s 78th birthday needs remembering

Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008

Martin Luther King’s 78th birthday needs remembering

by Karen Schafer | Staff Writer

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Siyani Hetep

Tondalayo Royster performs a dance to African music.

Let’s be honest. For many folks, Martin Luther King Jr. Day can mean a day to snooze, shop and if we really think about it, maybe even hang out with friends of all colors and ethnicities.

And this often unnoticed fact itself reminds us that despite setbacks, this comfortable co-mingling happens each day because of Dr. King’s vision some 50 years ago.

So instead of sitting still, Janet Kelly, of Rockville’s Human Rights Commission, believes it is time to pay tribute to this Georgia pastor.

For the 36th year, the City of Rockville will celebrate the day with music and entertainment at Rockville High School. The diverse program will feature Jim Lucas presenting an excerpt from King’s ‘‘I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech as well as performances by the Mount Calvary Baptist Church’s Puppet Ministry, Soul in Motion and a variety of church choirs.

Sure, tributes and talk will be aplenty, but right from the start, ‘‘We want to get people inspired and excited,” proclaims Michael Friend, founder of Soul in Motion, which is celebrating its 24th year.

His team will troop in with drums beating. The music and dance ‘‘speaks for us,” Friend says. ‘‘It is a celebration of our heritage in Western Africa.” And for the young people it will be ‘‘a recognition of where hip-hop came from,” he adds.

Offering a ‘‘hometown atmosphere,” this event has become more popular each year, Kelly notes. Organizers must be doing something right. A few years ago, the event had to be moved to Rockville High School from the smaller F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre.

Even with all the planning, Friend admits apathy is a real problem, even with his own children. But, he believes, the ‘‘onus is on us. Those who can remember must carry it forth. If the young people see it as ancient history, we have not impressed them of its importance.”

In commemorating Dr. King’s life and legacy, Kelly doesn’t ‘‘address the issue of apathy. We don’t put down people; we encourage people.”

Work, then play

The City of Gaithersburg is taking Dr. King’s birthday celebration a step further, recalling the memorial day’s original intent to spend the day volunteering, as stipulated when President Bill Clinton signed the King Holiday and Service Act in 1994. Youth will have opportunities to work on community service projects at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. A musical celebration, with the theme, ‘‘Commit to the Dream: The Time is Now!” will follow in the Music Center at Strathmore. The Morgan State University Mass Choir will perform, beginning with ‘‘His Light Still Shines,” a piece written by Moses Hogan specifically honoring King.

‘‘The medley combines spirituals related to the civil rights struggle,” explains the choir’s leader Dr. Eric Conway.

Later the choir will sing ‘‘inspirational and uplifting” songs including ‘‘United We Stand” and ‘‘I Believe.”

This is not just any college choir, Conway says. The singers perform all types of music; they will sing at Carnegie Hall in October and tour with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Clearly this group ‘‘never struggles” to find an audience on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The City of Rockville commemorates Martin Luther Day Jr. Day with a free event at noon Monday in Rockville High School, 2100 Baltimore Road. Call 240-314-8316.

The City of Gaithersburg’s ‘‘Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.” day of service is set for 1 to 3 p.m. at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel &Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, North Bethesda. Call the Volunteer Center, 240-777-2600. ‘‘Commit to the Dream: The Time is Now!” will follow from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved. Call 301-581-5100 or 240-777-2504.