Columbia held its 28th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on Monday afternoon.
Preceding the celebration, which was held at Martin Luther King Jr. Park and Community Center, was a Wreath Laying Ceremony hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Commemorating the life and accomplishments of MLK, the ceremony took place at the corner of Harden and Greene streets.
Columbia citizens, including Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. brothers and Columbia city councilmen, spoke at the Wreath Laying Ceremony. The ceremony closed with the fraternity brothers joining hands and singing their fraternity hymn in memory of their brother, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Also among those who spoke at the ceremony was the mayor of Columbia, the Honorable Stephen K. Benjamin.
“This is a wonderful event that the Alphas host every year ... My guess is that Dr. King would be humbled by the fact that we recognize his birthday ... but probably more hopeful in the fact that we recognize this as an opportunity to honor service and encourage others to follow in his model,” Benjamin said. “I think the true meaning of American citizenship is that we must serve each other to be our better selves.”
The following celebration at the MLK Community Center focused on honoring and awarding organizations and individuals who have served the community. While many of the Alpha Phi Alpha brothers who hosted the wreath-laying had already graduated from college, current college students also participated and attended the celebration. Jerry Wise, third-year music student at Allen University in Columbia, and Nyeem McDaniels, third-year social sciences student at Allen, were particularly excited about the celebration.
“This is service right here ... This is also just to get out and actually show off our brotherhood,” Wise said.
“[The celebration is] honoring students who have basically taken it upon themselves to, in their own way, express their feelings toward the meaning of MLK,” McDaniels said.
The celebration opened with a performance by the W.J. Keenan High School jazz ensemble. The Logan Elementary School Singers also performed between speakers. Several awards were given to organizations for their humanitarian work in the community, and scholarships sponsored by the organizations were awarded to students who exemplified their ideals through service.
The keynote address was given by University of South Carolina president, Dr. Harris Pastides. During his address, he recounted his memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I want you to know that your community, our community’s struggle, are the university’s and my personal struggles as well,” Pastides said in the address. “Dr. King continues to be an inspiration to me, and to our 50,000 students at Carolina ... he embodies the power of community service.”
The legacy and dreams of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lives on due to the enthusiasm and service put forth by organizations and individuals in the heart of Columbia.