Jason Ellis and Tomashia perform “Wake Up Everybody” at the Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative program Jan. 15 at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.
The City of Alexandria paid tribute to the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in the 53rd annual commemorative program honoring the late Civil Rights icon Jan. 15 at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.
With a theme of “Dawn of Justice and Hope,” the program opened with the traditional Procession of Faiths by clergy representing Alexandria’s faith community. The Alexandria Children’s Chorus performed “We Are Marching in the Light of God” with Rev. Dr. Quardricos Bernard Driskell of Beulah Baptist Church offering the invocation. Mayor Alyia Gaskins then delivered remarks that focused on the importance of continuing King’s work.
“If you take nothing else away from Dr. King’s life and his legacy it should be a reminder to each of us that the work of peace is not passive,” said Gaskins on what would have been King’s 97th birthday. “It is work. Work that Dr. King lost his life for.”
First started in 1973 and hosted by Alexandria’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Planning Committee, the program celebrated 53 years of honoring King. The event began a decade before President Ronald Reagan signed a bill in 1983 recognizing the birthday of the Civil Rights icon as a national holiday.
MLK planning committee member Rosa Byrd was chair of the program with Jason Ellis and Momentum Collective producing the program. Both are Living Legends of Alexandria for their significant contributions to the community.
The program included interpretive dance selections, musical performances and poetry readings. Several times during the evening Semone Byrd interacted with the audience as a “roving reporter,” inviting attendees to share their thoughts on the impact King and his teachings had on them.
Among the featured performances were Stella Cisney singing “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” and interpretive dance presentation by Alfred Street Baptist Church. The Alexandria Children’s Chorus closed out the evening with a rendition of “We Are the World.”
Said Byrd, “We will keep Dr. King’s dream alive.”
MLK Day committee members Beatrice McGuire, Ellen Nelson, Louise Phillips, committee chair Rosa Byrd, and Heather Jelks pose in front of a display honoring Martin Luther King. Jr. Jan. 15 at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.