LAURINBURG — The revolution will be live and it also may be led by a child. Youth sang, prayed and helped serve attendees at the annual NAACP Martin Luther King Jr. Banquet on Tuesday night.
The Laurinburg Presbyterian Church hall filled with guests in support of the banquet, and tTicket sales will support the NAACP Youth. The keynote speaker was WPDE-TV reporter Tonya Brown, who asked the crowd, “What are we doing?”
Brown spoke of the unity that King instilled in people with his speeches and the difference of values people had then that are needed today.
“Dr. King’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech, in my opinion, is one of the most regarded and masterful pieces of a speech that is held and recognized of all time,” she said. “Back then, we had a lot of unity. My mother said when one had, all had.”
Brown said people understood there was strength in numbers and they worked to elevate each other, adding that King was a prophet, foretelling of what was to come now 51 years later.
“He often quoted scriptures, a man after God’s heart, and his vision 51 years ago was a forecas t… fulfilled. We have jobs and fine places, dine at the finest restaurants, go to prestigious schools … the ills and plagues that once separated us, we are doing so much better,” said Brown.
Her speech focused on the dreams of King and if the community has lived up to their part of his dream — then spoke on how to make a difference in the local community.
“We often forget the blueprint on which we were raised, to believe in God and to love everybody rich or poor, black or white. We have got to get back to the simple basic things in life,” said Brown. “What are we doing in our community, I’m asking this so that we can make an impact.”
She called for the community to be better parents, neighbors and officials to help each other rise to live up to King’s dream.
The MLK celebrations will continue around the county:
Friday
— The third annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration will be held by the Wagram Active Living Center/Wagram Recreation Center at 24441 Marlboro St. in Wagram. The celebration will begin at 10 a.m. and run until noon. Lunch will be served immediately after the program for all who attend. The guest speaker will be the Rev. George Ellis, pastor of Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church. All are welcome.
Saturday
— The Scotland County Ministerial Alliance will honor women who have contributed to local community advancement at the Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Prayer Breakfast, 9 a.m., at The Highlands, 17160 Plant Road, Laurinburg.
Sunday
— The Scotland County Ministerial Alliance will honor community members who served during Hurricane Florence at Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 11761 Johns Road, Laurinburg. Guest speaker is Pastor Mitch Johnson and music will be provided by the Scotland County Ministerial Alliance Community Choir.
Monday
— The annual Martin Luther King Jr. March will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Pope’s parking lot and will end at Bright Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church. District Court Judge Chris Rhue will be the guest speaker.
Jael Pembrick can be reached at 910-506-3169 or jpembrick@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.
