Oklahoma City Martin King Holiday Coalition Announces Dates For 2013 events
The Oklahoma City Martin Luther King Holiday Coalition has set January 21, 2013 as the date for the 2013 Holiday Celebration. This marks the 30th year that the coalition has sponsored this event. The coalition has worked diligently to make this event inclusive of all races, creeds, nationalities and religions.
The theme for this year is “Challenges Beyond The Dream”. The Coalition believes that this theme takes on an even greater significance with the re-election of President Barrack Obama.
The parade will begin at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, located at 127 N.W. 7th, Oklahoma City. In addition to the parade there will be the traditional Silent March beginning at 9AM at the Freedom Center and ending at the Oklahoma Historical Society for the annual Bell Ringing Ceremony. There will also be a Job Fair at The Henrietta B. Foster Center located at 614 N.E. 4th Street.
The Coalition is seeking volunteers to assist in the planning and execution of these events. This celebration could never happen without the support of the community and the group welcomes anyone to attend their meetings at 5:30 PM every Tuesday evening at the Lennie Marie Tolliver Building, 2001 North Martin Luther King Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK.
There will be no on-site registrations for parade participation this year. Parade entry forms (PDF) can be downloaded from this page, along with the parade participate information letter (PDF). Deadline for returning applications is Jan. 11.
For more information, please contact Winard Brown at 410-7740 or R.L. Doyle at 413-4372.
MLK Celebration — AN ARTS EVENING IN OKC — A Salute to Contemporary Black artists in Oklahoma on CNN (They aired this one on CNN TV — this was one of the Editor’s picks by a CNN producer)
Photos of the cross-cultural program at Temple B’nai Israel and of the parade can be found here.
Don’t miss this amazing collection of MLK event photos from professional photography studio Exclamation Images Film & Photography – these are available for purchase if you find a shot of you or your group.
Last but not least, this video of the Tom Guild for Congress contingent from Brennan Society member Ed Bolt:
If you have photos you want to share, from this year or past events, please contact web@okcmlk.org.
On Saturday, February 4, 2012, from 11 am until 12:30 pm, the community can meet the author of a new history book IMPACT: Blacks In Oklahoma History and some of the history makers chronicled in the book
The event will be held at the Ralph Ellison Library, 1918 NE 23rd Street in Oklahoma City as part of the library’s Black History Month events. This is a great opportunity for parents and grandparents to learn and share with their young ones the many contributions and struggles of Black Oklahoman over the years.
Copies of the book, in soft cover and hardback, will be available for purchase and subsequent signing by Rochelle Stephney-Roberson.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has added IMPACT: Blacks in Oklahoma History Activities Edition to the state adoption list. It is now approved for use in high schools throughout the state. Oklahoma History is a required subject and our youth deserve to know about the contributions blacks have made to our state.
Do you have photos from past events you would like to share with us? We will pick the best and post them on our gallery page.
Please only submit your own photos. If you know of a good photographer, have them contact us directly.
Here’s what we would like to know about the photos (as many as possible):
Your name (i.e. the photographer)
Year taken
Name of person(s) or group(s) in the photo.
Name/location of event (if not the parade)
By sending us the photos or a link to your photos, you are giving us permission to publish and use the photo as we deem appropriate. Not all photos can be published on our site. We will select the ones we can use.
There are 3 ways to get them to us
The easiest (for us) is for you to post them at your own photo gallery on Picasa or Flickr, then send us the link. Be sure you have set your photos to be shared.
Attach to an email and send to okcmlk@gmail.com
Burn to a CD and mail to: Webmaster, Post Office Box 53084, Oklahoma City, 73152
We can only accept digital photos, not prints. Submitted photos/CDs remain the property of the coalition. Send only copies NOT your originals.
As it has for 30 years, the Oklahoma City Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Coalition will again organize and host the Oklahoma City 2012 Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday Commemoration activities that will take place on Monday, January 16, 2012.
The theme for this year is “Together We Rise” to recognize the need for solidarity and community in order for all to benefit, thrive and prosper.
Our organization seeks to honor the memory and legacy of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by holding events that celebrate his life and work, as well as continue his values and aspirations for equality and justice for all people.
