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Monday, January 20, 2003

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tenn. Many local groups are sponsoring events to commemorate his life. Here are some of them.

	The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledges the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial for his "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963. The march was organized to rally support for proposed civil rights legislation and a national movement to end to segregation. (Associated Press archives)

TODAY (Monday, Jan. 20)

• Penn State McKeesport will celebrate with activities in the Frable Conference Center, Room 117, University Drive:

At 12:15 p.m., movies offering a historical look at King's life and work. At 7:30 p.m., "King's Dream," a story of the civil rights movement told through live music with vintage film footage and narrative. For details, call 412-675-9493.

• There will be a community March on Wilkinsburg and worship service on Monday morning to remember the marches and spirited worship of the Civil Rights Movement. March participants will gather at 9:30 a.m. on the steps of Deliverance Baptist Church, 812 Swissvale Ave., and proceed to the doors of Mulberry Presbyterian Church, 740 South Ave., for worship at 11 a.m. The Rev. Wanda Sawyer of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Rankin, will be guest preacher.

A fellowship dinner sponsored by the Mulberry Senior Center will follow. For more information, call 412-241-0779.

• The YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh and YMCA of Pittsburgh will co-sponsor "A Tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Library Center, 414 Wood St.

The keynote address will be delivered by the Rev. Dr. Walter Earl Fluker, executive director of the Leadership Center and professor of philosophy and religion at Morehouse College in Atlanta, the nation's only private, historically black, four-year liberal arts college for men. His message will focus on what King's message would be for the greater Pittsburgh community today.

During the program, a "Spirit of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award" will be given posthumously to Roy F. Bates Sr., former executive director of the Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise, for his demonstrated commitment to racial justice.

Program cost is $10; students will be admitted free with I.D. Registration deadline is today. Call 412-227-3824.

• Westminster College's celebration at 4 p.m. in the New Wilmington campus Wallace Memorial Chapel will feature gospel music from the Westminster College Gospel Choir and R.E.A.L. (Redeemed, Everlasting, Anointed Lives). Pam Stennis, a junior public relations major from Youngstown, Ohio, who is president of the Westminster College Black Student Union, will present "The History and Movement of Gospel Music." For more information, visit www.westminster.edu/news/topnews.html or contact Kara Lee Mantinaos at 724-946-6178.

• The Urban League of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Cares will present "Pittsburgh: Beyond Race and Gender," a leadership dialogue on diversity, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, 1212 Smallman St. A reception will begin at 5 p.m. Special guest will be Juan D. Johnson, vice president at Coca Cola Co. and president of the Diversity Leadership Academy. For more information, call 412-227-4165.

• Older Adult Service and Information System will celebrate at 1 p.m. in Kaufmann's 11th Floor auditorium, Downtown. The OASIS speaker will be George E. Barbour, an award-winning journalist who knew Martin Luther King Jr. and covered the historic voting rights march to Montgomery, Ala. The Sanctuary Choir of Mount Ararat Baptist Church will provide music, and KDKA-TV reporter/anchor Brenda Waters will be mistress of ceremonies. For more information, call 412-232-9583.

• Westmoreland County Community College will present "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Celebration of His Life" at noon in Founders Hall Amphitheater, Armbrust Road, Youngwood. Students and staff will participate in the program, which will feature readings of King's work and from Robert Jakoubek's book, "Martin Luther King Jr." For more information, call Carlene Williams, chair of the college's Black Awareness Committee, at 724-925-4139.

• Carnegie Mellon University's annual celebration will be held from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the University Center, Forbes Avenue. Classes have been cancelled between 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. to allow students, faculty and staff to participate in the programming.

Highlights include: At 12:30 p.m., President Jared Cohon will offer his annual state of diversity address; at 1:30 p.m., winners of the creative writing department's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Writing Awards will read their entries. The awards are presented to students from local high schools and Carnegie Mellon who have submitted creative works and personal narratives describing their experiences with racial difference and discrimination; at 2:35 p.m., a panel of civic leaders and university community members will discuss King's six steps for nonviolent social change;

At 4:30 p.m., there will be a candlelight procession from the Purnell Center for the Arts to the University Center, where Michael Eric Dyson will deliver the 5 p.m. keynote address, "Why We Can't Wait: The Need for Social Transformation." Dyson is a noted scholar, author and ordained pastor widely recognized for his insight into urban black popular culture.

For a complete program schedule, visit www.cmu.edu or call Susan Cribbs at 412-268-2900.

• Metropolitan Baptist Church, 22-24 Sampsonia St., North Side, will have an 11:30 a.m. event in which essay and art contest winners are named. Instrumental music will be performed by students from Schiller Classical Academy. The speaker will be the Rev. Clifton Chandler.

• Gary Grant, president of the Black Farmers & Agriculturalists Association, and Dr. Ridgely Muhammad, agricultural economist and manager of Muhammad Farms, will speak on the issue of the decline among traditional black farmers and how to restore such farms, at 6:30 p.m. in the David Lawrence Auditorium at the University of Pittsburgh. The forum is open to the public.

• The Allegheny County Department of Human Services and the KEYS Service Corps will host a youth event from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the fifth floor gym of the Downtown YMCA, 330 Blvd. of the Allies. The program will feature the Miller Elementary African Drum Troupe and Negro Gato. There will be a chance to create an all-ages mural, and there will be education stations, a puppet show, storytelling, arts and crafts and games. For more information, contact Helen Wachter at 412-350-5227.

• The Bloomfield-Garfield Corp., United Faith Communities, Operation Weed & Seed, Whole Foods, and Citizen's Bank are sponsoring a celebration from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Bloomfield-Garfield Corp.'s Community Activity Center, 113 N. Pacific Ave., Garfield. The program includes inspirational speakers, poets, songwriters, dancers, and will feature a Creative Expression Contest, where youths age 8-18 will answer the question: "What does Dr. Martin King, Jr. mean to your community?" Winners will receive $125 savings bonds. For more information call the Bloomfield-Garfield Corp. at 412-441-9833.

• The North Hills Multicultural Consortium will hold its third annual "Putting the Unity in Community" breakfast today to commemorate Dr. King.

The Consortium will also present "The Spirit of Unity Award" to Janice Simmons, of the North Hills. Esther Bush, president of the Urban League of Pittsburgh, is the keynote speaker. Rabbi Art Donsky, of the Temple Ohav Shalom, is emcee.

The breakfast, at the Holiday Inn McKnight Road, begins at 7:30 a.m.

For more information, 412-364-0262

• Thirty-five Duquesne Light Co. employees will honor King's life by participating in the eighth annual "Living the Dream" program of volunteer aid to local agencies. The agencies getting help this year are the Bradley Center in Fox Chapel , which provides comprehensive services to youths with mental, emotional and development disabilities; Auberle in McKeesport, a comprehensive service agency for youths and their families; and the Women's Center of Beaver County, which helps domestic abuse victims and their children.

• Waynesburg College will celebrate with an 11 a.m. program in Alumni Hall, located on the third floor of Miller Hall. The public is invited to attend, free of charge. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Elward Ellis, pastor of Crossroads Presbyterian Church in Stone Mountain, Ga., and president of Destiny Movement, Inc. Ellis has served as the national director for black staff at Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship and has spoken at more than 80 colleges and universities in the United States.

• Washington & Jefferson College will celebrate with a "Community of Man" program at 6 p.m. in the Olin Fine Arts Center. Guest speaker will be the Rev. Montele A. Crawford, and the Mt. Ararat Youth Choir will perform.

• The University of Pittsburgh's Black Action Society will honor King with an all-day program, from 9 a.m. to late afternoon, which will feature teaching Civil Rights era songs to elementary schoolchildren, leading discussions on King's philosophy and showing the documentary film, "At the River I Stand."

• Robert Morris University will host several events to honor King, including "A Tribute to African American Legendary Jazz Greats," a photography exhibition presented by Lutz Bacher, associate professor of communications, Student Center third floor rotunda, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; a drum lecture by Dr. Kwasi Javouraga, Downtown Pittsburgh Center, Barista Cafe, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a remembrance service led by the Rev. Craig Giles, Triumph Baptist Church, Sewickley, at the Ann and Alvin Rogal Family Chapel, noon; a King poetry reading, presented by John Lawson, assistant professor of communications, Student Center food court private dining room, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.; a gospel choir concert at the Rogal chapel, at 7 p.m.; the film, "Martin Luther King Jr.: 1929-1968, Civil Rights Leader," at the chapel at 7:45 p.m.; and a discussion at the chapel at 8:30 p.m. led by the RMU Black Student Union.

WEDNESDAY
• Penn State New Kensington will hold a presentation by Key Arts Productions of Philadelphia, which will offer live and taped performances of the show "King's Dream" at 12:30 p.m. in the campus theater, Administration Building, 3550 Seventh Street Road, Route 780, Upper Burrell. Also, the work of artists Tina Williams-Brewer and Ahmand Francis will be featured through Feb. 28 in the campus Art Gallery, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 724-334-6062.

JAN. 28
• California University of Pennsylvania will feature a free, public address by Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., at 7 p.m. in Steele Auditorium on the campus.