“A true revolution of values will lay hands on the world order and say of war: ‘This way of settling differences is not just.’ This business of sending men (and women) home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.”
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr (April 4, 1967 speech at Riverside Church in NYC)
Northampton: Monday, January 21, 2008
24th Annual MLK Day Celebration
A Revolution of Values: Celebration of the Life and Work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Free – Accessible – Open to All
For more information:
Doug Renick, AFSC Co-Program Coordinator 413-584-8975
Tanya Karakashian, Food For Thought Books 413-253- 5432
(http://www.WesternMassAFSC.org)
MLK Day Celebration 2008 will look at King’s focus on racism, materialism and militarism with a full day of events. Beginning with the inaugural tour of the Northampton African American Heritage Trail and ending with a talent showcase in the evening, the day’s activities will bridge and explore King’s concern for poor people and people of color, his concern for working people, and his anti-war sentiments. The afternoon event includes video screenings, youth performances, a multigenerational panel discussion and community singing.
Details:
African American Heritage Trail—the Inaugural Tour – Pine Street, Florence
10-11:30 a.m.
Tourbegins at the Sojourner Truth Memorial Statue on Pine Street in Florence and ends at the Florence Community Center with cookies and hot chocolate. This tour is 1.5 miles long and will include the home where Sojourner Truth lived, homes of former slaves, homes of those involved in the Northampton Association of Education and Industry–a utopian society, and home of David Ruggles, the first building of the Northampton Water Cure. Ruggles helped many fugitive slaves find freedom.
Community Gathering – Northampton High School, 380 Elm Street
2:00-4:30 PM (doors open at 1:30)
The program will begin with a performance by the youth of Project 2050. Next, Raul Matta (local activist and community organizer) will moderate a discussion of a video of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking out against the Vietnam War and a recent video of Representative John Lewis making the connection between civil rights past and present, and the Iraq War. Following this, Ella Weitzman and Zeke Forrester, youth members of Video Vanguards, will showcase a peace-themed video.
A panel discussion including, Jackie Johnson (community organizer), Paki Wieland (peace activist), Carlos “Rec” McBride (community organizer and educator) and Tyler Boudreau (local Iraq veteran) will discuss ways to live our values, including actions that we can take to end the war and other oppressions. The afternoon will come to a close with singing led by Evelyn Harris, and LAUNCH youth Ismael Arroyo and Aiyonna Scott.
Food For Thought Books will provide a table of materials and books available for purchase, relating to the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Talent Showcase
Northampton Center for the Arts, 17 New South Street
6:00-10:00 (doors open at 5:30)
The youth from LAUNCH of Community Action Youth Programs, Video Vanguards and Youth Leadership in the Arts will present an interactive evening focusing on the connections between racism, materialism and militarism, as framed by MLK’s life work. We will look at the links between the 1960’s and our current year. How far have we come? There will be open mic opportunities, food, performance and interactive activities.
All participants in the day’s activities are urged to read Dr. King’s speech: “Beyond Vietnam.” Find it on the AFSC website.
Organizing Groups:
The MLK Committee includes members from LAUNCH of Community Action Youth Programs, Project 2050 of New World Theatre, Video Vanguards of Youth Action Coalition, Youth Leadership in the Arts, Food for Thought Books and the Western Mass American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).
For more information call AFSC 413-584-8975, Food for Thought Books 413-253-5432 or visit www.WesternMassAFSC.org.
Doug Renick
WM American Friends Service Committee
140 Pine Street Rm 10
Florence, MA 01062
413-584-8975 o
413-320-1002 c
afsc@crocker.com
