Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream

Abingdon

Thursday, January 11, 6:00 pm, “Black in Appalachia” Speaker: William Isom II, Director of PBS Project, Black in Appalachia. Location: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 124 East Main Street, Abingdon

Saturday, January 13, 37th Annual Abingdon MLK Celebration and March

1:30 pm – March begins at Charles Wesley UMC, 322 East Main Street, Abingdon 2:00 pm – MLK Celebration at Abingdon UMC, 101 East Main Street, Abingdon

Monday, January 15, 6:00 pm Folk singers, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform. Location:

Jubilee House, 822 East Main Street, Abingdon, VA

Johnson City

Food Drive @ McKinney Center, Good Sam, Langston Centre, & Carver Rec. December 13, 2023 – January 15, 2024

Worship Service – St. Paul AME Zion Church January 10 at 7:00 pm Prayer Breakfast – January 13 at 8:30AM Wesley Memorial UMC – $20

MLK Events at Carver Rec. on January 15 starting at 9:00 am Storytelling/Unity Walk at 12:00 pm/Blood Drive at 1:00-6:00 pm/ Community Info Session 1:00 pm/Community Dinner at 6:00 pm

Vincent Dial Student Art Exhibit – McKinney Center 8:00 am-5:00 pm January 15-19 Vincent Dial Student Art Exhibit Reception – McKinney Center – January 18 at 6:00 pm

The Importance of MLK to the Latino Community at Langston Centre – January 25, at 7:00 pm Contact Langston Centre @ 423/434-5785

Kingsport

MLK Senior Bingo – Saturday, January 13^{th at} 6:30-8:30pm Community Room – Participants please bring a door prize

Tennessee/Virginia Fellowship Against Racism and East Tennessee District Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship Presents:

The 24th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade

Date: Monday, January 15, 2024

Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (Assembly Time: 11:15 p.m.)

Location: Sullivan Street & Center Street, Downtown Kingsport, Tennessee (New Location) ending at the New City Hall, 415 Broad Street, Kingsport, TN

Theme: ”ANSWER TO RACISM IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST“ & “SHOW LOVE MORE IN 2024”.

If you would like to enter a car, float, church/business van, bus, truck, other exhibits or take a 20-minute walk during lunch in the parade!

MLK Monthly Service Event: January 15th thru March 31st, 2024 Diapers & Wipes $10/Baby (Putting Babies First)

Make your tax-deductible contribution payable to:

• Joshua Generation Int’l, Inc. (JGII), P.O. Box 3390, Kingsport, TN 37664-3390 Please contact Bishop Ronnie Wayne Collins (JGII) at (423) 956-0675 or email: rcollins.j316@gmail.com (mailto:rcollins.j316@gmail.com)

South Central Kingsport and New Vision Youth Community Luncheon

VO Dobbins Community Center following parade – 1:00pm Praise Dance by Mercedes Hill

Guest Speaker(s): Rev. Robert Smith & Malik Foreman Sponsored by Kingsport Chamber and KHRA

New Vision Candlelight Vigil at Shiloh Baptist Church at 6:00pm at 712 East Sevier Avenue Community

Unity Celebration with Symphony of the Mountains – Saturday, February 10, 2024:7:00pm at Eastman Toy Reid Center

Bristol

Sunday, January 14, 3:00 pm – Lee Street Baptist Church MLK Celebration, Speaker: Rev. Dwayne Mabry, Pastor First Baptist Church, Chilhowie, VA

Monday, January 15, 6th Annual Bristol MLK Celebration

12:30 pm – Youth program with activities at Bristol YWCA, 106 State Street, Bristol, TN 1:30 pm – March to Bristol Sign begins at Bristol YWCA

2:00 pm – MLK Program at First Baptist Church, 1 Sedgefield Street, Bristol, VA, featuring Speaker: Tybre Faw, 16-year old Science Hill High School Student Activist, Author and National Youth Representative for 1619 Project

Tuesday, January 16, 7:00 pm — Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Virtual Speaker Sessions featuring Holly G talking about the Black Opry (a group in Nashville to support Black musical artists and fans of the country, Americana, and roots music industry) HERE.

Thursday, January 18, 12:00 pm — Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Museum Talk episode on Radio Bristol featuring an interview with Damion Thomas from the National Museum of African American History and Culture (Smithsonian) about Civil Rights artifacts and stories highlighted in the museum. Listeners can catch this episode live on WBCM Radio Bristol 100.1 FM; streaming on our website HERE; or through the Radio Bristol app. The show will also be archived HERE within 24 hours of airing.

Saturday, January 27, 10:00 am – John Wesley Church will be hosting its 32nd MLK breakfast at Delta Marriott Hotel, Exit 7, 3135 Linden Drive, Bristol, VA – Adults $35 students $10.  Contact Brazil Dukes at 865/964-2011 or Theressa Taylor at 423/967-1089 for tickets.

EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE

Monday, January 15, 9:30 am E&H MLK Day Convocation featuring Keynote Speaker Ms. Bettie Mae Fikes: The Voice of Selma. Location: McGlothlin Center for the Arts, Emory and Henry College

Monday, January 15, 7:00 pm Jazz/Blues music night. Location: McGlothlin Center for the Arts, Emory and Henry College

Tuesday, January 16, 4:00 pm Folk singers, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform. Location: McGlothlin Center for the Arts, Emory and Henry College

January 16-21 – E&H Dreams: An MLK Art Installation by Sabrina Durling-Jones (time TBD). Location: Blackbox Theatre, McGlothlin Center for the Arts, Emory and Henry College

King

Monday, January 15, 7:00 pm Dr. Anika T. Prather, lecturer, educator, author, researcher, and jazz artist, discusses “The Revolution of the Great Conversation: MLK, Conversation, and Societal Change” Location: Lee Street Baptist Church, 1 West Mary Street, Bristol, VA

Tuesday, January 16, 10:00 am Dr. Anika T. Prather will discuss “A Narrative of Hope: MLK and the Creation and Progress of America” Location: King University Memorial Chapel, 1350 King College Road, Bristol, TN

• 9:30 – “I Have a Dream”
• 10:00 – “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop”
• 11:00 – “The Three Evils of Society”
• 12:00 – “What is Your Life’s Blueprint”
• 12:30 – “The Other America”
• “I Have a Dream” Boards located around campus for students, faculty, and staff to write down their hopes, dreams, goals, etc. on a sticky note and post.
• Individual pecan pies will be available throughout the day to share one of King’s favorite sweet treats with the VHCC family.

Third Annual MLK Jr Youth Summit, Friday, January 26th, 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Kingsport Higher Education Center. The program will focus on networking to help bridge the gap between local employers and potential future employees. Students will have the opportunity to develop social, intellectual, and technical skills through hands-on experiences with local industry representatives and Northeast State Program staff in three areas: Manufacturing/Welding, Health Professions, and Business & Finance.