By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – The 21st annual Montevallo Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration was held inside the cozy confines of Montevallo High School’s auditorium on Monday, Jan. 20 beginning at 10:15 a.m.

The event was held by the Shelby County NAACP, and the theme was “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence 365”.

The celebration was originally planned to begin with an outdoor march, but due to the frigid weather conditions, the march was cancelled and the event moved to the auditorium.

Rev. Kenneth Dukes is the president of the Shelby County NAACP. Before the program started, he explained the decision to cancel the march.

“I had to make a call, and I did it based off of the health and welfare of you all,” Dukes said. “We decided to come inside (because of that).”

The Unity Choir, which consisted of various representatives of local chapters of the National Panhellenic Council, performed a hymnal to kick off the event.

Kathy King, the second vice president of the Shelby County NAACP, gave remarks on the purpose of the event.

“Each year, on the third Monday of January, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his vision of living in a nation where people will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” Kathy King said. “Dr. King’s work to advance civil rights and social justice continues to inspire our nation and people around the world.”

Kathy King continued to discuss and honor one of America’s most preeminent figures in the Civil Rights Movement.

“We remember his commitment to peaceful activism, exemplified by his leadership of pivotal events like the 1955-56 Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 march on Washington, where he delivered his iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” Kathy King said.

Kathy King continued by outlining the theme of this year’s installment of the celebration.

“This year’s theme reminds us to uphold the rights and freedoms of those we serve, ensuring access to available programs and benefits, providing compassionate service to everyone and striving for an inclusive community,” Kathy King said. “These are some of the ways we play a part in realizing Dr. King’s vision for a fairer, more equitable society.”

Following Kathy King’s remarks, the Unity Choir serenaded guests of the event with another jubilant musical performance of a gospel hymnal.

Montevallo Mayor Rusty Nix gave his remarks following the performance on the event itself.

“I’d like to thank Councilman Dukes and coach Bobby Pierson for organizing this event year after year,” Nix said. “We’ve come a long way since the ‘60s. Montevallo’s a very diverse and loving town. Dr. King talked about the love in your heart and not hating anyone. To me, that’s what the citizens of Montevallo are all about. I’d like to think Dr. King would be proud of the way we treat folks in Montevallo.”

Another performance from the Unity Choir followed, with Bobby Pierson, the first vice president of the Shelby County NAACP, introducing the event’s speaker, Beverly J. Meadows.

Meadows is the owner, co-founder and managing funeral director at The Good Shepherd Funeral Home in Montevallo. Meadows also serves as the pastor of Present Truth Tabernacle Ministries- One Church in both Montevallo and Centreville. Meadows also serves on the Board of Community Action of Middle Alabama.

Meadows emphasized the relationship that God has with his people on a day celebrating one of America’s most famous ministers.

“God is serious about our freedom,” Meadows said. “We are not the bound trying to break through. We are the free protecting our liberty with the word of God.”

The event concluded with several individuals being honored with community service awards on behalf of the Shelby County NAACP and a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as “The Black National Anthem.”

For more information on the Shelby County NAACP, visit its Facebook page at Facebook.com/NAACPShelbyCoAL.