Events marking the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday will be held Monday across the Charlotte region.
In Charlotte, activities begin with the YMCA’s annual MLK Holiday Breakfast at the Convention Center. That event will be followed by a March for Justice from the convention center to Marshall Park, where a memorial wreath-laying will occur at around 9:45 a.m.
A daylong series of community activities is planned at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Art + Culture. A panel discussion on education will begin at 1:00 p.m. The panel includes former Charlotte mayor Harvey Gantt, Judge Rickye McKoy-Mitchell, and 2014-2015 North Carolina Teacher of the Year, James E. Ford. The Gantt Center program also features artistic performances and an animated biography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
At Central Piedmont Community College, a Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. will feature speakers, music, dance, and poetry – including artwork and writing by CMS students.
The Gaston County NAACPwill hold its annual MLK Celebration, beginning at 3:00 p.m. Monday at the Erwin Community Center. In Hickory, a King Day program begins at 10:00 a.m. at Lenoir-Rhyne University, followed by an NAACP-sponsored march. Students from some area colleges including CPCC and Winthrop University in Rock Hill will participate in community service projects, to honor Dr. King’s legacy.