SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — Greater Shreveport communities will come together over the next several days to honor the life and legacy of the civil rights icon, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
According to the United States Department of the Interior, MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday that is also designated by Congress as a national day of service – a ‘day on, not a day off.’
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Services falls on the third Monday in January each year, but this year, events will be held to honor the memory of Dr. King in Shreveport on both the third Sunday and the third Monday of January.
SHREVEPORT EVENTS
City of Shreveport and Shreveport Green
The City of Shreveport will partner with Shreveport Green for an MLK Day of Service project. The event will be held at the MLK Community Garden on MLK Drive, at Legardy Street. There is a large three-fourths-of-an-acre garden where produce is farmed for the community and for the Mobile Market. Most of the MLK neighborhood is in a food desert, meaning there is no fresh product market within a mile.
WHEN: Monday, January 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
WHERE: 2414 MLK Jr., Drive
ARRIVAL TIME: 8:45 AM
Note: Should it rain, this event will be rescheduled.
The Caddo Parish MLK Day of Service Planning Committee
The MLK Jr. Day of Service Planning Committee will hold a multi-day service event to honor MLK Jr. on Sunday and Monday.
Sunday’s program will highlight the significant contributions of African Americans in Caddo Parish, with Admiral Barry C. Black, 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate, serving as guest keynote speaker.
The event will welcome guest musical artist Kim Burrell. Burrell, a gospel singer and songwriter, has been nominated for a Grammy and won Stellar, Dove, and NAACP Image awards.
The event will award several community members, such as Rev. Robert Hudson, Attorney Jacqueline Scott, Henry Price, Erica Bryant, LaToria Thomas, and Michal Murff.
WHEN: Sunday, January 15 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Morning Star Baptist Church on 5340 Jewella Avenue
Monday’s event will be filled with a day of visual arts, music, and performances by students of Caddo Parish Public Schools. It will showcase and celebrate the talent of many students in Caddo Parish. This allows youth to gain experience in artistic expression, self-assurance and improve communication skills.
The MLK Planning Committee member and CPSB President Dr. Terence Vinson said the citywide celebration is a vitally important display of the commitment to Dr. King’s legacy and dream.
“These events are about honoring Dr. King in a way that celebrates his legacy through recognition of the many contributions of African American men and women here in Caddo Parish,” said Dr. Vinson.
WHEN: Monday, January 16 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
WHERE: RiverView Hall and Theater at 600 Clyde Fant Parkway
Geaux 4 Kids Project
Geaux 4 Kids Project MLK Day of Service will load and deliver 1500 to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services and each of the Louisiana State Police Troops to help rescued children. All participants are asked to sign up before the event.
WHEN: Monday, January 16 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
WHERE: Geaux 4 Kids Warehouse (CPSO work release building) at 1125 Forum Drive
Participation in service activities empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.
