2018 will be an important year for the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. April 2018 will mark the 50th Anniversary of King’s assassination in Memphis, TN.
Communities across the nation have been remembering King’s legacy in January since 1986, and Craighead County has been no exception. I sat down with one of the organizers of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parade for Craighead County, Dr. Lonnie Williams. He is also the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at Arkansas State University. We talked about the parade, Dr. King’s legacy, and where he was when he heard the tragic news of King's assassination. You can listen to the conversation below.
The two-day celebration will begin on Sunday, January 14 with a youth program at 3pm. The program will take place at Fullness of Joy Ministries in Jonesboro. Festivities will continue on Monday morning starting with the annual parade.
This year, the parade will start at the Carl R. Reng Student Union on the Arkansas State University Jonesboro campus. Patrons will meet on the third floor in Centennial Hall at 9am. The parade will start at 10am and will end up at the A-State Fowler Center.
The ASU Fowler Center will host the program which will start at noon. The keynote speaker will be Rev. Kurbe Newsome, pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Jonesboro and Craighead County NAACP president.
All events are free and open to the public.
*Editor's Note: Arkansas State University is the license holder for KASU 91.9 FM.
