The third Monday of January is nationally recognized as Martin Luther King Jr. Day and serves to honor King for his work in the Civil Rights Movement. In Christian County, local organizations are coming together to host a march and much more to recognize King.
The key organization behind the holiday’s local events is the Hopkinsville-Christian County Human Rights Commission. Commission Executive Director, Raychel Farmer says this is their third year hosting the march and other community activities on the holiday.
Farmer says the day will start out with a march that will travel from Freedom Elementary School to Hopkinsville Community College where there will be a keynote speaker, a coat drive and a competition between district schools that recognizes the school with the most participants
A new activity added to the celebration is an art contest open to all students in Christian County. Farmer says the art submitted should center around King and the Civil Rights Movement. According to the competition guidelines, the art should be submitted on an 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper or canvas and can be dropped off at or mailed to the commission office at 715 South Virginia Street, the deadline is January 8.
A winner will receive a prize within each of the following categories: preschool through second grade, third grade through fifth grade, sixth grade through eighth grade and ninth grade through twelfth grade.
When the parade concludes at the community college, Farmer says retired Christian County educator and published author, Levi Peterson will be the keynote speaker. Farmer says his speech will focus on this year’s theme, established by the King Center, of shifting the cultural climate and the practice of nonviolence.
Along with the program, there will also be an MLK Day Coat Drive to focus on service to others and help the community stay warm. Farmer says those attending the march can bring along new or gently used coats for those in need and can drop them off at the community college where a Salvation Army representative will be present.
When she was a child, Farmer says she remembers participating in the MLK Day march with her parents and is happy that she is able to help continue this tradition to honor King and bring the community together.
The march will kick off at 9 a.m. on January 15 at Freedom Elementary School and will conclude at Hopkinsville Community College where the coat drive is located and where keynote speaker, Levi Peterson will highlight the importance of the holiday. More information is available at Human Rights Commission Hopkinsville-Christian County on Facebook.
