On Saturday, January 13, 2024, a large crowd filled the room in the Williams Center on the Georgia Southern Statesboro campus to celebrate the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Several elected officials were in attendance including Mayor Jonathon McCollar and his wife, Adrianne McCollar.
Blake Robinson delivered the speech for the event. Robinson is the current SGA President at Georgia Southern University. He is a senior that is studying for a dual degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice.
Robinson cited that Dr. King fought the same fight that people are fighting today. “We grieve for our ancestors and what they have suffered,” Robinson said. “That is what Dr. King was fighting, that is what we are fighting for to overcome that grief.”
Acknowledge the Mistakes of the Past, But Do Not Repeat Them
Robinson began his speech by detailing the unveiling of the historical marker outside of City Hall on Thursday that shined a light on the lynchings that took place in Bulloch County. He went on to name several notable lynchings and murders that took place in history.
“It brings us forward by recognizing all of these mistakes that we made in our past that we can acknowledge them, but we need to make sure that we do not repeat them," Robinson said. He also called for his generation to stand up and take over the fight from those before them. “We the younger generation can fix our broken system,” Robinson said. “We can get into these spaces and be where the decisions are made. We can be the authors of our legacy and reach the promise land that Dr. King dreamed of so many years ago.”
The program was led by the NAACP youth council, and many members also participated. Kaleb Murphy and Ava Mincey acted as masters of ceremonies.
Regina Eason and Vinson Moore performed “Amazing Grace” along with a few more selections for the crowd. Their performance set the tone for the prayer breakfast.
- Langston Johnson delivered the opening for the event.
- Bailey Bergens prayed over the meal.
- Thurgood Johnson and Taylor Teamer greeted the crowd before breakfast was served.
- Laila Scarborough introduced the speaker.
- Imam Ford Ansari and Daniel Skidmore-Hess led community prayers.
- Madison McCollar and Yevette McCall closed out the event with remarks.
MLK Day Events
There are two additional events currently scheduled for MLK Day.
The MLK Day Parade will take place in downtown Statesboro on Monday, January 15th, and is set to begin at 2:00 p.m.
Following the parade, The Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Program will take place at the Elm Street Church of God in Statesboro. Mr. Thomas James, Youth Chair for the Screven County NAACP, will be speaking.
