A variety of public events are scheduled for today’s celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Oklahoma City. Organized by the Oklahoma City Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Coalition, the theme is “Honor, Celebrate, Work” and this will be the cities 32nd annual event.
The traditional Silent March begins gathering at 9:00 a.m. at Freedom Center 2500 N. Martin Luther King Drive with an invocation by the Rev. Anthony Walker of St John CME Church and march Instructions from Roosevelt Milton, President Emeritus of the OKC Branch of the NAACP.
Starting at 9:45 a.m., the group will hold the traditional Silent March from Freedom Center, down NE 23rd Street, to the Oklahoma History Center.
At 10:45 a.m., the National Bell Ringing Salute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is at the Oklahoma History Center. The events will include remarks from Roosevelt Milton, the song “Lift Every Voice” by Latosha Lornes, the invocation Rabbi Vered Harris of Temple B’nai Israel and remarks from elected officials, including Commissioner Michael Thompson of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. The ceremony will conclude with the ringing of the bell.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Program will start at 12:15 p.m. at St. Paul¹s Episcopal Cathedral, NW 7th & Robinson, in Oklahoma City. The program is extensive with Michael Owens, Director Alliance of Economic Development as the keynote speaker. Oklahoma State Representative, Dr. George Young, will serve as the master of ceremonies.
The annual Holiday Parade begins at 2:00 p.m. The parade starts at the corner of Broadway Avenue and NW 7th, proceeds along Broadway to Sheridan. There will be grandstands at NW 5th and Broadway Avenue.
Late Monday afternoon, in a separate event, a free concert will be held by the combined gospel choirs of the University of Oklahoma, the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University at the South Lobby of the Myriad Gardens Crystal Bridge, starting at 3:30 p.m. The concert will celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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