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Photo by Carol Mills
A Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.
About 100 men, women and children marched from the Laurel County Courthouse to the London Community Center Monday afternoon in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
At the center, the group was joined by about another 50 people eager to be part of the event.
Samuel R. Coleman Jr., a member of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights and the director of the Small Business Development Center of the Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College in Middlesboro, spoke about his job as commissioner.
“About 1 1/2 years ago, I got a call from the governor of Kentucky and he requested I be on the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights,” he said. “This commission is one of the oldest human rights commissions south of the Mason-Dixon. The job of this agency was to encourage fair treatment, foster mutual understanding and respect, and discourage discrimination against any racial or ethnic group or its members.”
The agency’s role was expanded in 1966 with the passage of the Kentucky Civil Rights Law.
“This law made discrimination illegal and it gives the Kentucky Commission of Human Rights the statutory authority to enforce the civil right laws,” Coleman noted.
Coleman then showed a film of Martin Luther King’s speech “I Have a Dream.” After the film was over, he said that is all that needs to be said.
During the ceremony there was also a group reading of King’s speech; a brief speech by Bob Gates, of the Kentucky Folklife Program; readings of three children’s essays; South Laurel High School ROTC presentation of colors; gospel singing; and prayers.
After the ceremony, refreshments were served.
The main coordinator of the ceremony was Wayne Riley, director of the Laurel County African-American Heritage Center in the old Mill Street Church, which is currently undergoing renovations.
Staff writer Carol Mills can be reached at cmills@sentinel-echo.com.
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