Marching, serving, reading, praying, talking about Martin Luther King Jr. [The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C.]

Jan. 08--DURHAM -- Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. made several visits to Durham in the 1950s and '60s, speaking at White Rock Baptist, Hillside High School and Duke University, and walking the streets of downtown.

Durham, in turn, has several events planned as Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, marking the holiday with a march, music, speeches, prayer, film screenings and discussions for all ages.

Rev. Warren Herndon of the Durham Martin Luther King Jr. Steering Committee is organizing the Unity March and Rally held on MLK Day, Jan. 16.

The committee's MLK programs are themed "The Dream Lives: Second Chances, Restored Vision & New Hope in a Broken Society." Marchers will gather at 10:30 a.m.Jan. 16 at the NC Mutual Insurance building downtown and march to First Presbyterian, where there will be a rally with speakers including U.S. Rep. David Price, Durham Mayor Bill Bell, county commissioners and others.

Pastors will pray for the youth of our community, Herndon said, as well as peace around the world and to take care of women in the Durham community.

Herndon hopes young people will come march, too.

"Certainly we'd like to pass the baton of leadership from Dr. King's era of civil rights and social justice," Herndon said. "Now that we have our civil rights, there are questions related to social justice and education in our communities."

Here are several MLK events over the coming weeks in Durham:

WEDNESDAY:

--The city and county governments join for their observance, which is also attended by downtown businesses and the community. The 7th Annual City--County Martin Luther King Jr. Employee Observance Program will be held at noon on Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church, 305 E. Main St., Durham. The hour--long service will include gospel selections from the City--County Martin Luther King, Jr. Employee Choir, keynote speaker Judge Marcia Morey of the 14th Judicial District of North Carolina, the presentation of the City--County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award.

THURSDAY:

--The Durham County Library Main Branch, 300 N. Roxboro St., will present the Thank You Dr. King Children's Puppet Show at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. It's free.

FRIDAY:

--Duke University will sponsor a screening of "Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin" with director Sam Pollard at 5:30 p.m. Friday in The Garage, Bay 4 at Smith Warehouse, 114 S. Buchanan Boulevard. For more MLK--related Duke events, visit www.mlk.duke.edu, where you can also listen to recordings of King's speech at Duke in 1964.

SATURDAY:

--Antioch Builds Community and the Durham MLK Steering Committee are sponsoring a Faith, Partnership & Re--Entry Conference from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Antioch Baptist Church, 1415 Holloway St. The cost is $10 for lunch and materials. The goal is to bring together clergy and laity to address how they can help ex--prisoners returning to society. For information, call (919) 688--8893.

--Durham Parks and Recreation will have a King celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday with several things to see and do at W.D. Hill Recreation Center, 1308 Fayetteville Road. There will be an art show, poetry readings, displays and activities for children. Anyone who wants to read poetry about King may participate. At 3:30 p.m., there will be a dance performance in the gym.

JAN. 15:

--Political strategist and commentator Donna Brazile will give the keynote address for Duke University's Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration at 3 p.m.Jan. 15 in Duke Chapel. The program includes music and dance to celebrate King's life. Brazile is the vice chair of voter registration and participation for the Democratic National Committee. The event is free, with parking available in the Bryan Center deck.

--Faith, Hope & Justice Ministries, led by Rev. Curtis E. Gatewood, will hold its second Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration from 4 to 6 p.m.Jan. 15 at St. Joseph's AME Church, 2521 Fayetteville St., Durham. The theme is "Standing on the Promises." Gatewood is a community organizer for the North Carolina NAACP and will discuss the upcoming HK on J march.

JAN. 16, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY:

--MLK Day begins at 7 a.m.Jan. 16 with the 32nd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center, 4700 Emperor Blvd. The breakfast is free and attended by several hundred people, including government officials. For information, call Doris Ingram--Randal of the Durham MLK Steering Committee at (919) 251--8535 or find more Triangle--wide MLK events at www.king--raleigh.org.

--The MLK Unity March and Rally begins at 10:30 a.m.Jan. 16 at the NC Mutual Life Insurance Company building at 411 W. Chapel Hill St. and marches down to First Presbyterian Church, 305 E. Main St., where there will be a rally.

--The Greater Triangle United Way will hold a Day of Service from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.Jan. 16 in Bay 7 of American Tobacco Campus. Volunteers are needed to assemble kits, sort books, writing letters and other jobs. Volunteers should also bring donations of books and nonperishable food. To volunteer, contact Brandon Hudson at [email protected] or (919)-- 308--3900.

--The sixth annual MLK Million Meals Project for Stop Hunger Now will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Jan. 16 at the Freeman Center at Duke University, 1415 Faber St.Duke, Durham Rotary Club and N.C. Central University hope to package 80,000 meals for the hungry. For information, email [email protected].

--A forum will address "The Racial Justice Act: Behind the Politics" featuring exoneree Darryl Hunt. The forum will be held from 2 to 5 p.m.Jan. 16 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 810 W. Chapel Hill St., in the school gym. The documentary "The Trials of Darryl Hunt," who spent two decades in prison before his exoneration, will be screened at 2:15 p.m. WUNC radio host Frank Stasio will moderate a panel discussion at 4 p.m. featuring Hunt, Justice Clinic co--director Mark Rabil, Forsyth County assistant capital defender James Coleman Jr., Duke law professor John S. Bradway, state Sen. Floyd McKissick Jr., Stephen Dear of People of Faith Against the Death Penalty and the Rev. Daniel McLellan, priest at Immaculate Conception.

--Author Paula Young Shelton, daughter of civil rights leader Andrew Young, will read from her children's book, "Child of the Civil Rights Movement," and participate in a Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday PartyJan. 16 in front of Northgate Books at Northgate Mall, 1058 W. Club Blvd. She will read to preschoolers at 10 a.m. and read again at noon for elementary--school--age children. Shelton will speak about growing up in Atlanta during segregation and will lead the children in freedom songs and crafts. There will also be birthday cake and voter registration. Party attendees are asked to donate nonperishable food or toiletry items, including diapers, for Urban Ministries of Durham.

Sponsors include NC MomsRising, the Durham Mothers Club, the Chapel Hill/ Carrboro Mothers Club and Lango Kids.

--The Durham MLK Steering Committee will hold its annual religious service at 6 p.m.Jan. 16 at Kings Park International Church, 1305 Odyssey Dr. The keynote speaker is Emory University professor Teresa Fry Brown. The Durham Community Choir and the Durham MLK Youth Choir will perform.

JAN. 17:

--Durham Technical Community College will hold a MLK celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Jan. 17 at the Phail Wynn Center featuring dance performances, a civility chat and service learning project.

--The Durham Symphony Orchestra and the N.C. Central University Choir and Alumni Choir will perform A Musical Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. at 7 p.m.Jan. 17 at the Durham Armory, 220 Foster St. Directed by William Henry Curry, the Durham Symphony and NCCU choirs will perform selections from Curry's work, "Eulogy for a Dream," originally premiered in 1999 by the Indianapolis Symphony, and based on the speeches and writings of King. Richard Banks, assistant professor of music and director of the choir, will conduct. For tickets, visit www.durhamsymphony.org or call (919) 491--6576.

JAN. 19:

--N.C. Central University will hold an MLK Convocation at 9:45 a.m.Jan. 19 in the B.N. Duke Auditorium. NCCU Chancellor Charlie Nelms will deliver the address. After the convocation, there will be a rally at the Shepard House. This event is free and open to the public.

FEB. 4:

--The Grand 10th Annual Durham Martin Luther King Jr. Parade will be held at noon Feb. 4 on Fayetteville Street. It was postponed from original date in January. For details, visit www.spectacularmag.com/Durham_MLK_Parade.html.

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