A weekend of observances to honor Dr. King

Breakfast events and marches are among the many MLK holiday activities in Volusia.

This weekend will be packed with local events that celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The holiday observance is on Monday, Jan. 16.

Dr. King was a clergyman and civil rights leader who was born on Jan. 15, 1929. He was shot and killed on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. 

In 1983, his birthday was made a federal holiday. It is observed every third Monday in January.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee of Florida, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that puts on MLK events in Daytona Beach.

“We invite everyone to come out and celebrate with us at these free events,” said Kim-Brown Crawford, treasurer and event co-ordinator of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee of Florida, Inc.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Florida is a non-profit that does the same in DeLand.

“We definitely want everyone to come out and celebrate King’s life, work and legacy with us,” said Dr. Andre Darby, event coordinator of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Florida.

Breakfast at Cherry center

The traditional march and breakfast in Daytona Beach, which will be held on Monday, Jan. 16, has been moved from Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church to the Julia T. & Charles W. Cherry Sr. Cultural & Educational Center, 981 George W. Engram Blvd.

The breakfast is at 8 a.m. and a march follows at 9:45.

“We needed a bigger space. We could never accommodate. We had over 200 people attending the breakfast before COVID. We used to have to get people up so others could sit and eat,” Brown-Crawford noted.

The march will begin at the center, go south on Keech St., east on Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard, north on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and west on George W. Engram Boulevard back to the center.

There also will the showing of a documentary on Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Bethune-Cookman’s campus on Sunday, Jan. 15 at 4:30 p.m.

“We’ve partnered with Bethune-Cookman because we have our own first lady that many people still don’t know about,” explained Brown-Crawford.

“Dr. King honored Dr. Bethune. We think it’s fitting that she be honored during this time. Dr. Bethune was also at the forefront of the fight for civil rights.”

Six students will be honored with King scholarships at $1,000 each. They’ll be recognized during the breakfast and Dr. Bethune’s documentary at B-CU.

Last year, an MLK Day Community Festival was held at Daisy Stocking Park in Daytona. There will be no festival this year.

“We can’t have it this year because both parks (John Huger near the Dickerson Center and Daisy Stocking) are under construction. Daisy Stocking has a stage which we need,” noted Brown-Crawford.

Festival in DeLand

There are no major changes in DeLand to the breakfast, march and festival on Jan. 16.

“We have no changes; everything is pretty much the same. We pretty much have our same schedule except we moved the time up for the concert,’’ Dar-by noted.

“Also, we have one of the oldest MLK Day festivals around. This will be our 52nd year. People always come out and have a great time.”

The concert will take place at the Sanctuary Church in DeLand on Saturday, Jan. 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. Gospel singer Dr. Dorinda Clark-Cole is the guest speaker.

There also will be a softball game with members of the sheriff ’s department on Sunday, Jan. 15 at 4 p.m.

MLK Day breakfast events are also in Ormond Beach on Monday and Deltona on Saturday.

At the Dream’s Keeper’s MLK Breakfast event in Deltona, Brandon Pugh will be the guest speaker.

He is an aide for Vice President Kamala Harris, serving as her associate director of policy. 

Here’s a glance at some of the local events.

Daytona Beach

“The Art of the Possible: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune – A Journey to Statuary Hall’’ documentary will be shown at the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center on B-CU’s campus at 698 W. International Speedway Blvd. It is Sunday, Jan. 15 at 4:30 p.m.

The MLK Prayer Breakfast at the Julia T. & Charles W. Cherry, Sr. Cultural & Educational Center, 981 George W. Engram Blvd., is Monday, Jan. 16 at 8 a.m. followed by a march beginning outside the Cherry center at 9:45 a.m.

DeLand

The MLK Celebration Worship Service & Free Concert at City Sanctuary Church at 104 Taylor Road is Saturday, Jan. 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. Dr. Andre Dar-by directs the MLK Mass Choir. The free concert will feature Dr. Dorinda Clark-Cole as the guest.

The MLK Day Softball Game on Sunday, Jan. 15, is 4 p.m. at the DeLand Little League Fields, 403 S. Alabama St.

The Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast is Monday at 9 a.m. at the Holler Athletic Center at Stetson University followed by a march through downtown DeLand to Earl Brown Park.

The festival is Monday from noon to 4 p.m. at Earl Brown Park. There will be music, entertainment, a small vendors expo, vendors, and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Deltona

The Deltona Dream Keepers and African American Association hosts the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Luncheon on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at the Center at Deltona, 1640 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Tickets are $25. Tables seat 8. Contact Mike Williams at 386-804-6136.

Ormond Beach

The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Celebration “Dine and Dash (carryout)” is Monday at 8:40 a.m. at the South Ormond Neighborhood Center, 176 Division St. Contact Tina Carlyle at 386-527-5918 for details.