2017 Martin Luther King Day events planned

Several local organizations will hold events next weekend and Monday as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, during which they hope to honor the life and legacy of the civil rights leader.

Jan. 13

Wichita’s chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, the fraternity that King belonged to, will celebrate King on Jan. 13 at 7 p.m.

The celebration at Calvary Baptist Church, 2653 N. Hillside, will include guest speaker Marche Fleming-Randle, assistant to the president for diversity at Wichita State University.

Kevin Graham, who helped organize the event, said the speaker – like much of the celebration – will emphasize King’s commitment to community togetherness and love.

Additionally, Graham said, the fraternity wants to recognize King for the contributions he made to Alpha Phi Alpha. When he was alive, King helped shape the group’s aims and initiatives, Graham said.

The event will also include performances by the Robinson Middle School Girls Choir and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Silvertones group.

Jan. 14

King’s work with improving the conditions of African-American children will be the focus of events held throughout the day by the Kansas African American Museum. Events include a parade and program honoring King as well as modern civil rights activists.

At 10 a.m., a parade will go from the Christian Faith Centre, 1130 S. Broadway, to Chester Lewis Reflection Park, which is to the east of Broadway and Douglas. Breakfast will also be served from 7 to 8:30 a.m. at the Christian Faith Centre.

The museum will be collecting items for children in foster homes, specifically children whose parents have been incarcerated. Those who wish to bring donations can come to the museum, 601 N. Water, between 11a.m. and noon.

The festivities will also include a chance for students to win college scholarships. Wiley College, a historically black college in Texas, will be giving away music and dance scholarships based on auditions held at 1 p.m. Those wishing to audition or get more information should e-mail the museum’s educational director, Christyn Gunter, at christyn.gunter@tkaamuseum.org.

The evening program will both celebrate King and recognize people who help children, Gunter said. Several will receive recognition awards, including Karen Countryman-Roswurm, the director of WSU’s Center for Combating Human Trafficking.

The Wiley College Choir, a nationally known a cappella group, will perform.

Most of the events are free with the purchase of a 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. button, which costs $3 and is available at the museum as well as other locations in Wichita. Visit the museum’s website, www.tkaamuseum.org, for more information.

Jan. 16

On the actual Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Jan. 16, the Greater Wichita Ministerial League and Spirit AeroSystems will hold a worship celebration in King’s honor.

The event will focus on continuing the work of King with a theme of “Following in His Footsteps … Renewing a Spirit of Empowerment.” Ralph West of The Church Without Walls in Houston will speak at the event.

The celebration will begin at noon at the Wichita State Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th St. North.

Community Service Project

Several Wichita organizations are coming together to offer a large-scale community service event on Jan. 16 to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Starting at 8 a.m., Wichita Habitat for Humanity will begin constructing the walls for a five-bedroom house. The walls will then be transported to the build site in central Wichita and assembled.

In a news release, Ann Fox, the executive director of Wichita Habitat for Humanity, said she sees the event as a chance for Wichitans to perform some of the social justice King pushed so hard for.

The service event – which is a joint effort of Habitat for Humanity, Volunteer Kansas, the City of Wichita, Crossroads Ministries, Chick-Fil-A and Starbucks – will be in the Expo Hall at Century II, 225 W. Douglas.

Anyone over the age of 5 is eligible to volunteer. Volunteers should register at volunteerks.org for one of three shifts.

This story was originally published January 6, 2017 at 7:51 AM with the headline "2017 Martin Luther King Day events planned."